The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has projected that the monsoon season in Maharashtra will gradually withdraw by October 4 or 5. While the monsoon officially withdrew from the rest of the country on September 30, Maharashtra continues to experience rainfall, with expectations of a gradual retreat in the coming days.
Jyoti Sonar, a meteorologist at IMD Pune, explained in a video statement, “The monsoon season typically commences on June 1st and generally concludes by September 30th. This year, at least nine districts in Maharashtra have reported comparatively lower rainfall. The Konkan-Goa region has seen approximately 18 percent more rainfall than the average. Madhya Maharashtra experienced about 12 percent less rainfall, Marathwada witnessed an 11 percent deficit, and Vidarbha recorded 2 percent less rainfall compared to the average.”
She also noted, “Pune received normal rainfall this year, while Pimpri-Chinchwad experienced 32 percent more rainfall.”
Despite occasional dry spells in Mumbai during the monsoon, the lakes that supply water to the city are nearly full as September draws to a close, marking the end of the rainy season. The BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) has assured that there will be no water cuts until the arrival of the next monsoon.
Mumbai relies on seven lakes, two within the city and five on its outskirts, with a combined capacity of 14.47 lakh million litres of water. The lakes are currently 99.23 percent full, with a stock of 14.36 lakh million litres as of Saturday. An official from the BMC’s hydraulic department explained, “If the stock reaches 100 percent on the last day of the monsoon, the city receives an uninterrupted water supply.”
A senior BMC official added, “With the lakes filled to capacity, the city won’t face water cuts until the next monsoon.” Last year, the lakes had a 98.5 percent stock on the same day, and the city did not experience water cuts until late June 2023.