- Please visit this link for – 2014 Monsoon Rainfall and Water Level in Mumbai’s Lakes.
- Please visit this link for – Water Levels in Mumbai’s Lakes in 2013.
2012 water levels in the Mumbai lakes that provide drinking water to the city are listed below. Water height of the lakes during the rains is closely monitored since this is the primary source of water for Mumbai City.
| “344 DAYS“ – The number of days for which Mumbai’s lakes have Water. |
|---|
Water Level in Mumbai Lakes in 2012 Mumbai Monsoon Season
| MUMBAI LAKE | LEVEL ON 11 SEPTEMBER, 2012 | MINIMUM LEVEL | OVERFLOW LEVEL | USABLE WATER (ML) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Vaitarna | 601.74 | 595.44 | 603.51 | 1,70,035 |
| Middle Vaitarna | 261.25 | 220.00 | 285.00 | 62,692 |
| Modak Sagar | 163.16 | 143.26 | 163.15 | 1,28,925 |
| Tulsi Lake | 139.36 | 131.07 | 139.17 | 8,046 |
| Bhatsa Lake | 140.35 | 104.90 | 142.07 | 6,69,847 |
| Tansa Lake | 128.69 | 118.87 | 128.63 | 1,45,080 |
| Vihar Lake | 78.49 | 73.92 | 80.42 | 19,235 |
(All figures in Meters, except “Usable Water” which is in Million Litres)
- EXCELLENT NEWS – Water Levels in the 7 lakes that supply water to Mumbai is 12,03,860 million liters (ML). In the same period last year, Mumbai’s lakes had usable water of 12,42,000 ML (last year Middle Vaitarna had not been commissioned). In the last one month, water levels in Bombay’s lakes have gone up by 5,52,000 million litres. The whole of August, 2012 has seen an increase of over 2,85,800 ML in usable water in Bombay’s lakes. July on the other hand had seen an increase of 5,50,000 ml of usable water. Mumbai’s lakes have the capacity to supply 12,54,000 million liters of water every year at 3,500 million liters per day. Note that Mumbai’s lakes only provide 75% to 80% of Mumbai’s total requirement of water; the rest is supplied by ground water, wells, tanks, etc.
- GOOD NEWS – Three of Mumbai’s lakes have overflowed in 2012; these are Modak Sagar Lake (overflowed on 8 August, 2012, Tansa Lake (3 September) and Tulsi Lake (4 September). Excess water from Modak Sagar is now being diverted to Vihar Lake and Tansa Lake.
- GOOD NEWS – Not just Mumbai’s lake catchment area, but also Bombay city and its suburbs have received heavy rains. The rain deficit in Santacruz is now down drastically to 19% and in Colaba it is down to 35%. Throughout July and August, 2012, the rain deficit in Mumbai in Colaba has been around 54% and in Santacruz it has been around 30%. Mumbai receives almost 60% of its rainfall in end July and early August.
- Mumbai’s fourth largest lake, Bhatsa Lake, is Mumbai’s most important lake. Bhatsa caters to 60% of Mumbai’s water requirement. It currently contains over 55% of Mumbai’s Usable Water.
- As on 3 September, 2012, the usable water in Mumbai’s 7 lakes (including Middle Vaitarna) is 1,203,860 million litres, which is enough for 344 days at 3,500 million liters per day. This is an increase of over 552,000 million litres in the last 30 days. Every year Mumbai city requires at least 1,254,000 million litres from the end of the monsoon to the start of next year’s monsoon.
- GOOD NEWS – From October 2012, Middle Vaitarna Lake and Dam will start supplying 275 Million Liters of water per day to Mumbai. From next year Middle Vaitarna will supply 455 MLD. Due to a controversy about a PWD bridge near Middle Vaitarna, only 275 million litres a day will be supplied this year. The PWD has agreed to increase the height of the bridge in 6 months. Excess water from Middle Vatairna will flow into Modak Sagar Lake. This is a positive step in Mumbai’s long term water security.
- This year the monsoon started 6 days late on 16 June, 2012. Rainfall too has been less than normal. BMC has cut water supply to Mumbai by 10%. BMC will review this cut on 15 September. View chart of Daily Rainfall in Mumbai in 2012.
- Given the smart pick up in Monsoons, BMC have decided to keep on hold it’s decision to go in for “Cloud Seeding” in the lake catchment areas of Bhatsa and Upper Vaitarna Lakes. Earlier “Cloud Seeding” was to start from 1 September. Sodium Chloride or Silver Iodide crystals were to be sprayed in water bearing clouds. When done in 2010, this technique of inducing rain was not successful.
- Of the six lakes, Tulsi and Vihar supply water to South Mumbai, whereas the other lakes provide water to the other parts of the city. Tulsi Lake and Vihar Lake are within the island city of Bombay, whereas the other lakes are outside of Mumbai. Upper Vaitarna Lake, Modak Sagar (Lower Vaitarna Lake), Bhatsa Lake and Tansa Lake are artificial lakes that were built by constructing dams on rivers in this region. All 4 dams are located North and North-East of Mumbai.
- The city of Mumbai requires 4,200 million litres of water daily. The BMC supplies around 3,350 to 3,500 million litres of water daily to Mumbai. The water treatment plant at Bhandup is the largest in Asia.
Water Supplied By BMC To Different Parts Of Mumbai
| Water Supply To Mumbai | Water Quantity |
|---|---|
| Mumbai City | 1,205 |
| Mumbai Eastern Suburb | 1,245 |
| Mumbai Western Suburb | 1,775 |
(Water Quantity supplied to Mumbai is in “Million Liters per Day”)
As per the Chitale Committee, by 2021, Mumbai will require 5,300 million liters of water per day.
The BMC rate or charges for supplying water to Mumbai is Rs 106 per 10,000 litres of water.
Lakes That Provide Mumbai Drinking Water
Bhatsa Lake
Even though Bhatsa Lake is only the fourth largest of the seven lakes that provides water to Mumbai, it is Mumbai’s MAIN LAKE since it provides 60% of Mumbai’s water needs . Situated North East of Mumbai, the Bhatsa Lake/Dam is in Thane district at a distance of 95-100 km from Bombay. Bhatsa Lake is formed behind the Bhatsa Dam and it receives water from 2 local rivers – Bhatsa River and Corna River. The Bhatsa Dam was completed in 1981. Tansa Lake is nearby at a distance of 17 km East from Bhatsa. Further North is the Modak Sagar Lake.
Bhatsa Lake’s overflow level is 142.07 meters, and it’s lowest drawable level is 104.9 meters.
Vihar Lake
Located in the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Vihar Lake receives water from the Mithi River and the Powai-Kanheri hill ranges around it. Vihar Lake was the first piped water supply scheme to operate in Mumbai. Work on “Vihar Water Works” was completed in 1860.
This lake provides water to South Mumbai and covers around 3% of Mumbai’s drinking water requirement. Access to Vihar Lake is restricted.
Vihar Lake’s overflow level is 80.42 meters.
Tulsi Lake
Tulsi Lake is located in the island city of Mumbai in the mist of the Borivali National Park (Sanjay Gandhi National Park). Tulsi Lake is a restricted area. The Tulsi Lake was created by putting up a dam on Tasso River. Water also flows in from the Powai-Kanheri hill ranges.
Tulsi Lake’s overflow height is 139.17 meters.
Upper Vaitarna Lake
The Vaitarna Lake is located North of Mumbai near Igatpuri in Thane District. Vaitarna River is the largest river in the Konkan. In 1972 a dam was created in the upper reaches of the Vaitarna river and the lake around the dam is the Upper Vaitarna Lake.
Vaitarna Lake provides drinking water to the Northern suburbs of Mumbai. It is the largest of all the lakes that provide water to Mumbai.
Upper Vaitarna Lake’s overflow level is 603.51 meters, and it’s lowest drawable level is 118.87 meters.
Modak Sagar (Lower Vaitarna Lake)
Just like Upper Vaitarna Lake was formed by a dam on the Vaitarna River, Modak Sagar too was created by a dam on Vaitarna River. Further downstream to Upper Vaitarna, a dam was constructed on the Vaitarna River in 1957 and the lake behind the dam is the Modak Sagar, also called Lower Vaitarna Lake. Modak Sagar is located in Thane district.
Modak Sagar’s Lake’s overflow level is 163.15 meters.
Tansa Lake
Construction of the Tansa dam on the Tansa River started in 1892. It is the world’s largest Masonic dam covering a distance of 320 sq kms. The lake bedind the Tansa Dam is the Tansa Lake. The Lake is surrounded by the “Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary”. Tansa Lake is 85 km North East of Mumbai in Thane district.
Tansa Lake’s overflow level is 128.63 meters, and it’s lowest drawable level is 118.87 meters.
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