MUMBAI: At a time the city is likely to face a 10% water cut for the rest of this year and well into 2027, data from the BMC’s hydraulic engineering department highlights the urgency of developing new water sources to meet the city’s growing demand and ensure long-term water security.Mumbai receives 4,100 million litres of water per day (MLD) from the BMC’s seven lakes and dams. However, the lakes failed to reach 100% of their capacity by the end of the monsoon this year, owing to deficient rainfall in Aug and Sept.
The city’s daily water demand is projected to rise significantly by 2041, reaching 6,424 million litres.
The BMC’s recently published Environment Status Report 2025-26 projects the city’s daily water demand to rise to 6,424 MLD by 2041, up from the current supply of 4,100 MLD. A senior civic official said demand already stands at around 4,600 MLD, leaving a shortfall that the existing sources cannot bridge.The BMC has identified six new water sources that are expected to add a combined 3,303 MLD to the city’s supply. Three major projects — Gargai, Pinjal and the inter-state Damanganga-Pinjal project — account for 2,891 MLD, or nearly 88% of the proposed additional supply.The Gargai project, expected to yield 440 MLD, is under way, with completion targeted for 2029. The Pinjal project, planned to supply 865 MLD, is still at the planning stage, while the Damanganga-Pinjal project, which is expected to contribute 1,586 MLD, remains on paper. The latter requires coordination between the Centre and the govts of Maharashtra and Gujarat.The BMC has also proposed desalination plants at Manori and Versova, each with a capacity of 200 MLD, and a 12 MLD advanced tertiary treatment plant at Colaba. Preliminary work on the proposed Manori desalination plant has begun.The status of the projects came into focus during a visit by ruling BJP leaders in the BMC, including mayor Ritu Tawde and standing committee chairman Prabhakar Shinde, to the civic body’s Tansa and Modak Sagar lakes. During the visit, the leaders sought details from hydraulic engineering department officials on measures to expedite the long-pending Pinjal and Damanganga-Pinjal projects.A senior hydraulic engineering department official said, “Several major projects have been identified, and work on some is under way to augment the city’s supply. Mumbai’s population is steadily increasing, and daily demand is projected to reach 6,424 MLD by 2041, including losses during transit and distribution.”
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