Daijiworld Media Network

Mumbai, Jun 18: In a clear sign of the monsoon gaining momentum, Powai Lake—Mumbai’s artificial water body catering to non-potable needs—began to overflow early Wednesday morning following heavy downpours in the city and surrounding catchment areas.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) confirmed that the lake reached its full storage capacity of 545 crore litres and began overflowing at approximately 6 am. “The current water level stands at 195.10 feet. The lake has witnessed continuous rainfall over the past two days in its catchment area, which led to the overflow,” said a civic official.

Though the water from Powai Lake is non-potable and mainly directed towards industrial usage, its overflow signals encouraging signs for the rest of the city's reservoirs. Mumbai receives its drinking water from seven lakes, and their collective water stock showed a marginal rise—standing at 10.19 per cent as of Wednesday morning, up slightly from the previous day.

While the increase may be modest, civic officials view it as a positive development after a dry spell earlier this month. “We are keeping a close watch on the rainfall pattern and lake levels. A few more days of steady showers can bring greater relief to the city’s water situation,” an official added.

The overflowing of Powai Lake marks the beginning of what citizens hope will be a season of replenishment for Mumbai’s vital water reserves.