Mumbai's water stock hits lowest level in three years, city stares at cuts

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is reportedly planning water cuts in Mumbai by February end, with water stock dipping to 49.37 per cent in the seven lakes that supply to the city. 

The water stock is at its lowest level in the past three years.

In February 2023, the stock was 54% and 57% in February 2022. 
A BMC official told a newspaper that poor rainfall has led to the situation. The city, he said, could get sufficient water supply if the lakes had total water stock of 14.47 lakh ML on October 1. 
The news comes at a time when weather experts have sounded alarms over a harsher summer this year.

This year, Mumbai has seen a warmer winter. With an El Nino persisting, weather experts see a possibility of a warmer summer.

The BMC was allowed to use an additional 1.5 lakh ML of water from the reserves last year in June. The late arrival of the monsoon last year had forced the civic body to impose a 10% water cut on July 1. Heavy rains in July helped to fill the lakes, following which the cut was withdrawn on August 9.