BMC Initiates Desilting of Mumbai's Drinking Water Lakes to Enhance Supply
BMC starts groundwork for desilting city’s water lakes
Hindustan Times
Image: Hindustan Times
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has begun groundwork for desilting Mumbai's drinking water lakes, which have not been desilted for nearly a decade. The project aims to improve water storage capacity amid rising demand, with preliminary surveys already conducted to assess feasibility.
- 01BMC has initiated desilting of drinking water lakes in Mumbai, which have not been desilted for about ten years.
- 02The city relies on seven reservoirs for daily water supply, providing approximately 4,000 million litres against a demand of 4,505 million litres.
- 03Concerns have been raised about sediment build-up affecting reservoir efficiency and long-term water availability.
- 04Preliminary studies indicate silt levels at Tulsi and Vihar lakes are around 15-16%, which currently do not significantly impact water availability.
- 05Political will and technical expertise are crucial for the success of the desilting project.
Advertisement
In-Article Ad
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has commenced efforts to desilt its drinking water lakes, a process that has not occurred in nearly a decade. Guardian minister Ashish Shelar announced that surveys are underway to create a Detailed Project Report (DPR) and evaluate the project's feasibility. Mumbai's water supply relies on seven reservoirs, which provide around 4,000 million litres per day (MLD) against a demand of 4,505 MLD. Concerns about sediment accumulation affecting reservoir efficiency and long-term water availability have been raised, particularly as a 2022 report highlighted these issues. Preliminary studies conducted by the Maharashtra Engineering Research Institute (MERI) have shown silt levels of 16% at Tulsi Lake and 15% at Vihar Lake, but officials assert that these levels do not significantly impact water availability. The BMC is taking steps to ensure ecological balance and sustainability, but the success of the desilting project will depend on strong political will and technical expertise.
Advertisement
In-Article Ad
The desilting project aims to improve water storage capacity, which is crucial for meeting rising demand, especially during summer months.
Advertisement
In-Article Ad
Reader Poll
Do you support the desilting of Mumbai's water lakes?
Connecting to poll...
More about Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation
Read the original article
Visit the source for the complete story.