Mumbai is already thirsty: Why the 2041 problem is really a 2026 problem

MUMBAI: Mumbai’s water crisis is not a problem to be pushed to the next decade. The city is already struggling with water scarcity, facing a 10% water cut and increasingly unpredictable monsoons, even as its demand is expected to soar 57% by 2041. The warning is stark: The infrastructure to ensure Mumbai’s future water supply is not keeping pace with the urgency of today.

Demand has already outpaced supplyMumbai gets some 4,100 million liters of water per day (MLD) from seven lakes and dams, but its actual daily requirement is estimated at some 4,600-4,665 MLD, leaving a deficit of more than 500 MLD. The BMC’s environment status report 2025-26 expects demand to reach 6,424 MLD by 2041.

That would leave a gap of 2,324 MLD against today’s supply, even without taking into account the challenge of sourcing additional sources and efficiently distributing water.

The immediate crisis shows the vulnerability. Mumbai’s reservoirs did not fill to their full capacity by the end of the monsoon this year after deficient rainfall in August and September.