Mumbai needs 57% more water by 2041; many key plans on paper

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 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.