Navi Mumbai could face renewed water cuts after Diwali as Morbe Dam, the city’s primary water source, has 75% of its usable storage remaining, according to a report by Loksatta – Navi Mumbai. The possibility is linked to reduced rainfall in the dam’s catchment and increased water withdrawal after the civic administration suspended the existing cuts during the festive period.
The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation had cancelled the city’s water cuts from Gokulashtami, following a decision by mayor Sujata Patil and the municipal administration. With regular supply restored, withdrawals from Morbe Dam have increased. The available usable storage has consequently become a central factor in planning supply for the coming months.
The report said Morbe Dam has not reached full capacity because rainfall weakened after the early part of the monsoon. If the catchment does not receive stronger rain in the coming days, storage could continue to decline. In that situation, the municipal corporation may have to consider fresh restrictions to manage the city’s water supply, the report said.
The water position has become more difficult because the dam catchment has received less rainfall than during the previous three years. Morbe Dam was reported to have reached 100% capacity by August 20 last year, raising expectations that it would follow a similar pattern this year. However, the reservoir had still not filled completely by September, increasing concern within the municipal administration.
The timing of any renewed restriction will depend on the balance between water inflow and daily demand. The suspension of cuts during the festive season has provided residents with regular supply, but it has also increased extraction from the reservoir at a time when rainfall has remained below expectations in the catchment. The report did not state that a final decision to reintroduce cuts had been taken.
For residents, the immediate issue is therefore not a confirmed new restriction but uncertainty over supply after Diwali. Any reduction would affect households, commercial establishments and civic services across Navi Mumbai, where the municipal corporation must plan water distribution around the storage available in Morbe Dam.
The municipal administration has appealed to residents to use water carefully. Officials are also monitoring rainfall and reservoir levels while assessing the requirements for year-round supply. The next decision on water cuts is expected to depend on rainfall in the Morbe Dam catchment and the storage position after the festive period.
