Mumbai may face 10% water cut from May 1 as reservoir levels drop

Mumbaikars may face a dip in water supply. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is mulling over a 10% water cut from May 1 due to decline in water levels in the lakes and reservoirs that supply water to the city.

According to reports, the proposal to reduce water supply has been submitted to the municipal commissioner for approval. Seven lakes supplying water to Mumbai hold only 33.6% water of their capacity, the reports added.

The lack of water in the lakes have been attributed to faster evaporation as the summer settles in western India. The reserves are expected to last till July this year, and the 10% cut is a precautionary measure.

This comes days after IMD forecast below normal monsoon in 2026, with rainfall to be 95-90% of the average.

Releasing its Long Range Forecast for the 2026 Southwest Monsoon season rainfall, the IMD said that the seasonal rainfall over the country as a whole is likely to be 92% of the LPA with a model error of plus-minus 5%.

On Sea Surface Temperature (SST) conditions, the IMD said that, at present, weak La Nina–like conditions are transitioning to ENSO-neutral conditions over the equatorial Pacific.

El Nino and La Nina are opposite phases of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle, representing periodic fluctuations in sea surface temperatures and trade winds in the tropical Pacific Ocean that alter global weather.

El Nino (warm phase) features weakening trade winds and warmer waters, causing wetter conditions in the US and droughts in Asia, while La Nina (cool phase) brings stronger winds and cooler waters.

(with inputs from syndicated feed)