Hindustan Times 29.08.2010
City’s water stock will last until July 2011Good news for Mumbai this year, Upper Vaitarana, a major lake that supplies 16 per cent of Mumbai’s wa-ter, began overflowing on Tuesday. Civic officials say the water stock in all six lakes supplying water to Mumbai is 12.99 lakh million litres, and will last the city till mid-July 2011.This means the city's lakes have enough water until the next monsoon.
Civic officials will review the situation over the next two days before formally announcing that water cuts would be completely withdrawn.
“I don’t think the civic body needs to impose water cuts for the next year as the lakes show healthy levels. However, we will take a review again on September 30,” said Anil Diggikar, additional muni cipal commissioner.
The water cut was lifted in September for the festive season with the rider that the cuts would be back in place if it did not rain much.
But, the rainfall this month has filled all six lakes to the brim.
Five of the six lakes have already filled up 100 per cent. Modak Sagar and Tulsi lakes started overflowing on July 27, while Tansa filled up on August 6 and Vihar on August 19.
Bhatsa is almost full as the state irrigation department released water from the lake.
The government did not allow it to fill up in order to avoid a flood-like situation in nearby villages.
The safety of the wall of the Bhatsa dam wall was also in question.
Meanwhile, the total water stock this year is 12.99 lakh million litres against 9.43 lakh million litres in the same month last year.
The total water capacity of all six lakes is 13.19 million litres while the current stock is over 12.99 lakh million litres.
The city was reeling under a 15 per cent water cut for a year as the city faced an unprecedented water crisis last year due to a delayed monsoon and less rainfall.
The civic body had revoked water cuts phase-wise after the water situation in the dams started improving.
The civic body, which was supplying 3,267 MLD till last month, has withdrawn the water cut completely.
