With practically no water in the six lakes that feed the city, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation on Monday raised the supply cut from 20 per cent to 30 from Tuesday. The last time such a steep cut was imposed was in 1996.

The water in Modak Sagar, Bhatsa, Tansa, Upper Vaitarna, Tulsi and Vihar lakes will last 25 days more, said additional municipal commissioner (projects) Anil Diggikar. The BMC is considering cloud seeding near the lakes in Thane and Shahapur. A similar experiment had failed in the early 90s. “We have asked Meckoni Enterprises to study the feasibility and estimate the cost if it doesn’t rain for another week,” Diggikar said.

Till the scene improves, water will not be supplied to swimming pools and construction sites. Supply will be curtailed to government offices that use 99 per cent for flushing toilets.

Pool managements will be asked to stop jacuzzis and saunas for the time being. “The halt in supply will affect business. Our pool has a filtering plant that recycles the same water; we are not really wasting water,” said an official at Hotel Marine Plaza, Churchgate, which has a 60,000-litre swimming pool. “We use non-potable water from six borewells but will shut down the swimming pool if approached,” said Ravindra Waikar, owner of Matoshree Gymkhana in Jogeshwari.

Those running bus depots will be told to dig borewells and wash their buses from there instead of using potable water.

The civic body has identified large users in each ward. The Mantralaya, the BMC itself, major government offices and railway stations top the list. “Ninety-nine per cent of water is used for flushing toilets and little for drinking,” Diggikar said.

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