Mumbai received a much-needed bout of rainfall over the weekend, easing some pressure on the city’s stressed water reservoirs. However, civic officials and weather experts caution that the overall monsoon performance remains below expectations, and more sustained showers are essential to secure the city’s drinking water supply in the months ahead.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast continued cloud cover and heavy rainfall at isolated locations across the city and its suburbs, with a high tide of 4.37 metres expected at 10:23 AM and another of 3.80 metres later at 9:59 PM. Low tides are anticipated at 4:11 PM and early on Tuesday morning at 4:20 AM, offering windows for drainage of surface water in flood-prone areas.Rainfall data collected by the BMC’s Hydraulic Engineer’s Department at the Bhandup Complex shows limited distribution across Mumbai. Between 8 AM on June 22 and 8 AM on June 23, the island city received just 3 mm of rainfall, while eastern suburbs saw 10 mm and western suburbs recorded 5 mm.
Despite the modest precipitation, Mumbai’s primary water reservoirs saw a slight improvement in stock levels. The seven lakes supplying drinking water to the city – Modak Sagar, Tansa, Bhatsa, Upper Vaitarna, Middle Vaitarna, Vihar, and Tulsi – have collectively reached 28.21% of their total capacity as of June 23.The Modak Sagar reservoir now holds 44.78% of its storage capacity, while Upper Vaitarna has reached 33.35%. Tulsi and Vihar stand at 38.48% and 39.71% respectively. Middle Vaitarna holds 26.47%, Bhatsa is at 23.14%, and Tansa continues to lag behind with just 9.99% of usable water stock.
These reservoirs are vital to Mumbai’s daily supply, which averages 3,900 million litres per day. Modak Sagar, Tansa, Upper and Middle Vaitarna primarily serve the city’s western belt from Dahisar to Bandra and southward from Mahim to Malabar Hill. Meanwhile, Bhatsa, Tulsi, and Vihar support the eastern suburbs from Mulund to Sion, as well as central parts of the island city.
Officials at the BMC have said that the current water stock stands at around 4.08 lakh million litres, a significant improvement since the start of the monsoon, but still far from the 14.47 lakh million litres needed to ensure uninterrupted supply throughout the year. The civic body is maintaining close watch over catchment area rainfall, particularly at Bhatsa and Upper Vaitarna, which are key to mid-term water security.
As Mumbai inches deeper into the monsoon season, urban planners and environmentalists are calling for more robust rainwater harvesting infrastructure and better conservation efforts across residential and commercial zones. The city, already vulnerable to erratic climate events and flash floods, must build long-term resilience by reducing dependency on a single monsoon cycle.
With more rain expected over the coming days, authorities remain cautiously optimistic. However, they continue to urge citizens to conserve water, remain alert during high tide periods, and report any localised flooding or disruptions through civic helplines.
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