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The seven lakes of the city, responsible for supplying drinking water to more than 1.25 million people, have decreased to only 31.23% of their total total capacity
The Water Ship Association is protesting the revised guidelines of the Central Underground Water Authority (CGWA), which introduce stricter regulations for the owners and oil operators of Borewell. (AP file)
Mumbai is approaching a severe water crisis in the coming weeks. The seven lakes of the city, responsible for supplying drinking water to more than 1.25 million people, have decreased to only 31.23% of their total usable capacity.
With summer temperatures they rise and the monsoon still several weeks away, the threat of supply interruptions is increasingly worrying.
Lake levels
According to the Municipal Corporation of Brihanmumbai (BMC), the current water supply of the city is in a scarce 5.67 Lakh million liters, a significant fall of last year of almost 9 Lakh million liters of the same period of the same period. At the current daily consumption rate of approximately 3,850 million liters, Mumbai water reserves will only last approximately 45 days unless substantial rain is implemented or alternative arrangements are implemented. While smaller deposits such as Tulsi still retain about 78% of their capacity, their contribution to the general supply of the city remains insignificant. Larger sources such as Fasho Sagar, Middle Vaititana and Bhatsa, which form the spine of the city’s water system, face critically low levels.
In my conversations with those on strike of the Water Ship Association, and my understanding of your problem, the only exit seems that the @MYBMC The commissioner guarantees that the tankers won to be also penalized, indefinitely, and not only on June 15. Wait …
– Aaditya Tackeray (@authakeray) April 14, 2025
Water strike
Exacerbating the situation is a parallel mood of crisis of a water tanker strike.
The Mumbai Water Tailer Association (MWTA) started the strike, now on its fourth day, which led to supply interruptions for housing societies, construction sites and railways. The association is protesting the revised guidelines of the central authority of the underground water (CGWA), which introduce stricter regulations for the owners of Borewell and the oil operators.
Despite a temporary suspension of the application of these high -level guidelines and meetings that involve the principal minister Devendra Fadnavis and the Minister of the Jal Shakti Union, CR Patil, the strike persists, leaving anxious and frustrated residents.
In response to the growing crisis, the BMC has invoked emergency powers under the Disaster Management Law, 2005, to assume control of private water oil tankers and guarantee an uninterrupted water supply through the city. Civic officials have deployed equipment at the neighborhood level, including the police, transport authorities and health officials, to coordinate the movement of oil tankers and administer effective distribution. Residents can now submit water requests through citizen facilitation centers and water will be delivered with nominal administrative positions. Police protection is causing filling points to maintain order and avoid any possible disturbance. As a temporary relief measure, the civic body has also released 350 million liters of water from its backup reserves.
Each fall counts
However, the crisis is far from resolving. The combination of lake levels decreasing and the attack of indefinite oil tankers has transformed the conservation of water from a civic duty to an urgent need.
Citizens are firmly urged to minimize water waste, inform immediately and adopt water reuse practices whenever possible. While Mumbai Eagly awaits the arrival of the monsoon, both officials and residents understand that each drop of water is beautiful.
In addition to the growing group, political figures have also expressed their opinions about the crisis.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Tackeray criticized the delayed government response by addressing the pressing problems exhausting the lake levels and the ongoing oil strike. He described the situation as “avoidable” and held the state administration responsible for “not preparing for a predictable summer.” Tackeray urged BMC to release a transparent action plan and guarantee the equitable distribution of water, partly in areas of marginal neighborhoods and densely populated regions.
