Mumbai is set to face a 10% water cut from May 15 after Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide approved the move amid concerns over depleting water reserves. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has also approached the state government seeking additional reserve stock to help manage supply during the lean pre-monsoon period, reported NDTV.
At present, the available water stock is expected to last until August 17. However, if the state government does not provide additional water, the existing reserves will only be sufficient until July 6.
Every year, the state government typically provides Mumbai with additional water from reserve stock, helping the city tide over the summer months before the monsoon replenishes its lakes. This year too, the BMC has sought extra allocations from state-controlled sources such as Bhatsa and Upper Vaitarna to avoid a sharper supply crunch and extend water availability through mid-August.
Mumbai, Maharashtra: BMC Commissioner Ashwini Bhide says, "Today, a meeting regarding monsoon preparedness was held. All departments of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation and various other agencies in Mumbai participated in this second pre-monsoon readiness session..." pic.twitter.com/0m0D2I4eK6
— IANS (@ians_india) April 28, 2026
Current Water Capacity In Mumbai
Mumbai's seven lakes currently hold about 28% of their total storage capacity of 14,47,363 million litres, with the city receiving a daily water supply of around 3,950 to 4,100 million litres. Against the backdrop of falling reservoir levels and forecasts of a weak southwest monsoon, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is weighing a water cut of 5% to 10% from May 1 to ensure that existing reserves last through August,. mid-day reported.
Civic officials said the current stock would have to be stretched until mid-August if rainfall remains below normal, making conservation measures unavoidable. Explaining the move, officials said the combination of a 10% cut and the use of carryover stock would be necessary to meet the city's water needs until August 17. Earlier, a senior civic official had said that unless the lakes are replenished adequately this monsoon, Mumbai could face a prolonged supply crunch extending into next year's rainy season, reported mid-day.
To bridge the shortfall, the BMC has approached the state's Urban Development Department for an additional 237 million cubic metres of water from the Upper Vaitarna and Bhatsa reservoirs. The request is in line with the civic body's broader plan to secure reserve stock from state-controlled sources so that water availability can be maintained through August despite rising temperatures and faster evaporation.
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