Mumbai’s civic administration is considering suspending water supply to municipal swimming pools again as water stocks in the seven lakes serving the city remain below last year’s levels and the city’s 10% water cut continues.
A senior Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation official said the decision to restore water supply to municipal pools, taken on August 16 after rainfall improved lake levels, may need to be reassessed as temperatures rise and demand increases. Water supply to the pools had earlier been suspended on June 17.
“There is a need to reassess this decision as harsher summer conditions were emerging, indicating that water demand would increase in coming months. We also need to account for supplies until the next monsoon,” the official said, according to the report.
BMC data showed that the seven lakes held 13.3 lakh million litres on October 8, equivalent to about 94% of their combined capacity. On the same date last year, the reservoirs held 14.3 lakh million litres, or 99% of capacity. The stock in 2024 was recorded at 14.3 lakh million litres, representing 98.6% of capacity.
The gap is particularly visible at Modak Sagar, which was at 69% capacity compared with 99% on the same date last year and 95% in 2024. The lake receives supplies from the Vaitarna system and functions as a balancing reservoir. A civic official said water from Modak Sagar was being used before the gates of Vaitarna were opened.
The possible pool shutdown would extend a wider set of conservation measures already imposed by the civic body. BMC disconnected water supply to around 128 construction sites in May, including sites that paid civic water charges, and that supply has not been restored, the official said.
The citywide 10% water cut, imposed on May 15, also remains in force. The continuing restriction means that the civic administration is managing not only current reservoir levels but also the requirement to maintain supplies until the next monsoon.
Mayor Ritu Tawde said the administration’s priority was to ensure adequate water for citizens. “Therefore, whatever steps are needed to ensure that citizens are given first priority will be taken,” she said.
The BMC has not announced a final decision on municipal pool supply in the information available. The next step is a review of the earlier restoration in light of lake stocks, rising temperatures and projected demand through the period before the next monsoon.
