Water level in dams falls to 50%

Water level in Maharashtra dams falls to 50.57%, 18% lower than last year, raising concerns of shortage as stock must last for another five months.

Mumbai: Water level in dams across the state has fallen to 50.57% well before the commencement of the summer season, spiking concerns of shortage as the existing stock must last for another five months, till July 15. The Marathwada region has the lowest water availability at 27.84%, while availability is highest in the Konkan region at 65.86%.

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Maharashtra has 2,994 small, medium and major dams with a total live storage capacity of 40,485 million cubic metres. The total stock in these dams in mid-February was 20,472.63 million cubic metres, or 50.57% of the capacity, 18% lower than last year’s water level of 68.37%. Most dams in the state did not have adequate inflow in 2023 owing to dry spells during the monsoon.

The extent of the water crisis is borne out the 567 tankers that are currently supplying water to 518 villages and 1,282 hamlets across the state, as per the weekly report of the water supply department. Only six tankers were in operation during the same period last year. Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar and Jalana districts account for 216 tankers, while 136 tankers have been pressed into service in Nashik district to supply potable water.