Mumbai Water Supply Pools Construction Sites Halt

and swimming pools, while also implementing a 20 per cent water cut across Mumbai’s commercial, industrial and sports establishments.

Additionally, the BMC has temporarily suspended approvals for new water connections for all new construction projects and the civic body is set to take legal action against anyone found misusing potable water supplied from the seven lakes.

The decision was announced following an internal review meeting convened on Tuesday, where senior officials took stock of the rapidly depleting lake levels.

Currently, the city is reeling under a 10 per cent water cut imposed across establishments in Mumbai. The curbs were announced after the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast below-normal monsoon rainfall due to El Niño, a climate phenomenon marked by warmer-than-normal sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.

However, the delayed onset of the monsoon and prevailing hot weather have raised concerns over diminishing lake levels. On Tuesday, the total stock in the seven lakes stood at 1.49 lakh million litres, or 10.35 per cent of total capacity. In the absence of pre-monsoon showers and with above-normal temperatures, lake water is evaporating faster. Records show that lake levels dropped by five percentage points within a fortnight, from 15.30 per cent on June 2.

By contrast, lake levels had fallen by four percentage points over a fortnight during the corresponding period last year, while in 2024 the decline was only two percent over two weeks.

Further concern stems from the IMD’s revised forecast, which points to rainfall at only 90 per cent of the long-period average this season. “With the monsoon delayed and the IMD forecasting a weak monsoon due to El Niño, stretching the current water supply for as many days as possible is a major challenge before us,” the BMC said.

Concerned over current stocks in the city’s potable water-supplying lakes, the BMC on Tuesday stepped up restrictions on water use across sectors.

In a circular, the civic body directed organisations responsible for maintaining toilets and restrooms to maximise the use of tanker and borewell water to conserve potable water supplies.

“Specifically, borewell or well water must be utilised for washing vehicles, watering plants in gardens and cleaning roads and premises,” the BMC said in its notice, while also suspending water supply to aerated water and packaged water bottling plants.

Furthermore, the BMC directed establishments with high footfall, including Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers Limited, Western Railway, Central Railway, Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation, the Navy, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited and the Bombay Port Trust, to use recycled water from sewage treatment plants for secondary purposes.

“Strict legal action will be taken against anyone found misusing the drinking water supplied by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation at any location,” officials added.

The civic administration supplies an average of 4,000 million litres of water per day to the city. The water is drawn from seven lakes — Tulsi, Vihar, Tansa, Middle Vaitarna, Upper Vaitarna, Bhatsa and Modak Sagar — located on the periphery of Mumbai district.

Nayonika Bose is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express’ Mumbai bureau. While in the early stages of her career, her focused reporting on local governance and community welfare already demonstrates clear Expertise and Trustworthiness in covering essential civic issues impacting Mumbai's residents. Expertise & Authority (E-E-A-T) Specialized Focus: Nayonika's reporting is dedicated to civic and community issues, providing readers with highly relevant, ground-level information about the functionality and administration of India's largest metropolitan area. Core Coverage Areas: Her articles highlight a strong focus on the fundamental quality of life and public safety in Mumbai, including: Civic Infrastructure: Reports on critical failures and initiatives related to public works, such as the recurring problem of unauthorized building collapses in Navi Mumbai, the construction of new infrastructure projects (like the Dahisar-Bhayandar Link Road and the Mahalaxmi cable-stayed bridge), and the maintenance of essential city services (e.g., manhole cover theft). Urban Governance & Crisis Management: Provides detailed coverage of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) response to major crises, particularly during the monsoon (e.g., heavy rainfall, water cuts, and public health concerns like dengue and malaria) and large-scale public safety incidents (e.g., the hoarding collapse fallout). Community Welfare & Rights: Reports on key social issues, including the financial aid scheme for persons with disabilities, the struggles of Mumbai's hawkers protesting eviction drives, and the dangers faced by workers due to the continuation of manual scavenging in water tanks. Cultural & Heritage Reporting: Covers significant community stories, including the restoration of British-era fountains and the history of institutions like the 126-year-old Chinchpokli cemetery, showing a breadth of interest beyond pure administration. Tweets @nayonikakb ... Read More