Even as rains are giving the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) sleepless nights, the city may have to brace itself for a 30 per cent water cut if there are no showers in catchment areas of the six lakes that supply water to Mumbai.

At present Modak Sagar, Bhatsa, Upper Vaitarna, Vihar, Tulsi and Tansa have 1, 62,641 million litres of water. Last year the supply stood at 41,217 million litres. The decision on water cuts will be taken in a review meeting on Wednesday.

The monsoon deficit in June ensured a 10 per cent cut in the second week of the month. It was subsequently increased to 20 per cent. The water supply operations and the networking management of the lakes allow cuts till 30 per cent. “Presently we have storage in the lakes which will suffice for another 25 days. However, if it does not rain and the lake levels do not rise, there will be problem. We may have to increase the water cuts,” said a senior official.

At present, except for Bhatsa, the civic administration is drawing water from the reserve storage. The city is supplied 3,450 million litres daily though the demand stands at 4,200 mld. However, 20% or 680 mld is lost due to leakages and pilferage.

A 30 per cent cut—if imposed this yea—will be higher compared to the previous years. Such a cut was in effect in 1996 and 1992 when the rainfall was low.

“The situation is bad as it has not rained in the catchment areas at all. Last year at least there was heavy rainfall for the first week and then the monsoon disappeared. This year the situation has been bad from the very beginning,” said Hydraullic Engineer, S S Korlekar.

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