With water levels in the seven lakes that supply drinking water to Mumbai dropping to 28.79 per cent as of Monday morning, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to take a call on implementing a water cut ranging from five to 10 per cent starting May 1 to ensure the existing water stock meets the city’s demands till August. The decision will be taken within this week, considering the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) indication of below-normal rainfall this year due to the weakening of the southwest monsoon owing to the El Nino effect.

According to the BMC, the water stock in Mumbai’s lakes is replenished by August from the rainfall received since June. However, with the IMD indicating a weak monsoon this year, the present water stock will last until the end of July.