Mumbai Lakes Near Full Capacity, Water Level Surpasses 91% To 13.2 Lakh Million Litres

Mumbai’s seven water-supplying lakes have crossed 91% combined capacity and are holding 13,19,640 million litres of water, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) data showed on Monday.

These seven lakes— Modak Sagar, Tansa, Bhatsa, Upper Vaitarna, Vehar, Tulsi and Middle Vaitarna— serve as a lifeline for Mumbai’s water supply needs and depend on rainfall to recharge. These lakes can collectively hold about 14,47,363 million litres at peak capacity.

On Monday, their total storage stood at 91.18% of the 14.47 lakh million litres peak capacity. This marked a year-on-year marginal decline compared to 2024 when the capacity was at 93%, as per the BMC data at 6 a.m. on Aug. 18.

Tulsi lake has become the latest to reach its full capacity, holding a peak of 8,046 million litres of usable water content. Earlier, Modak Sagar and Tansa lakes had started overflowing in July after reaching their full capacity amid continuous rainfall in Mumbai and nearby regions.

"Tulsi lake began overflowing on Aug. 16 at 6:45 p.m.," the Mumbai civic body noted in its press release.

At present, Modak Sagar is at 86.61% capacity, while Tansa is at 98.81% storage. Other lakes are also nearing their full capacity as continuous rainfall batters the region. Upper Vaitarna lake is at 87.13% capacity, while Middle Vaitarna is at 97.34%. Bhatsa lake is at 89.82% capacity, Vehar is at 96.16% and Tulsi remains at peak levels.

All seven lakes received rainfall in the last 24 hours, which further contributed to their rise, the latest data showed.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an alert about extremely heavy rainfall for parts of western states, including Maharashtra, till Tuesday. Moreover, isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall will continue to batter Konkan (including Mumbai), Goa and other areas till Aug. 20. The IMD has also warned about isolated heavy rainfall in Gujarat, Konkan, Goa and central Maharashtra during the next seven days. The weather agency has also issued an orange alert for Mumbai till Aug. 19.

The weather forecaster has predicted heavy rainfall in Mumbai between Aug. 18 and Aug. 20. The IMD has issued an orange alert for the city on Aug. 18 and Aug. 19, predicting heavy rainfall. A yellow alert has been issued for the city for Aug. 20 and Aug. 21.