Archive · 2 Oct 2026
BMC Targets Nearly 400 MLD Recovery By Cutting Water Losses
Mumbai needs more water than its municipal system currently provides.
The city receives about 4,100 million litres of water each day but needs around 4,600 million litres.
Officials say nearly 34% of the supply is lost or does not produce revenue.
Some of this comes from leaks, while some is linked to theft and faulty meters.
The BMC believes reducing these losses by 10% could recover nearly 400 MLD.
The city’s lakes currently contain enough water to last until May 20 without a water cut, or until June 30 if the cut continues.
The BMC plans to fix leaks, address unauthorised connections and regulate water tankers.
It has already repaired all 17,906 reported water-meter leaks from January through August 2026.
Mumbai could recover nearly 400 MLD by reducing non-revenue water losses by 10%.
About 34% of the city’s 4,100 MLD supply is lost through leakages, theft and other distribution losses.
Mumbai’s seven lakes hold 13.93 lakh million litres, or 96.31% of their combined capacity.
The BMC plans to regularise eligible unauthorised connections and introduce an OTP-based tanker water system.
Mumbai’s demand is about 4,600 MLD, compared with BMC supply of approximately 4,100 MLD.
- Who
- The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, including Additional Municipal Commissioner Abhijit Bangar and Deputy Municipal Commissioner Purushottam Malvade.
- What
- The civic body plans to reduce non-revenue water by 10% and potentially recover nearly 400 MLD.
- When
- The plan was discussed on October 1, 2026; complaint figures cover January through August 2026.
- Where
- Mumbai, including the city, eastern suburbs and western suburbs.
- Why
- Mumbai’s daily water demand is about 4,600 MLD, exceeding the BMC’s approximately 4,100 MLD supply.
- Current BMC supply
- Approximately 4,100 MLD
- Mumbai daily demand
- Approximately 4,600 MLD
- Estimated distribution losses
- Nearly 34% of supply
- Potential recovery
- Nearly 400 MLD from a 10% reduction in non-revenue water
- Lake storage
- 13.93 lakh million litres, or 96.31% of combined capacity
- Water-meter complaints
- 17,906 complaints received and all repaired between January and August 2026
- Unauthorised-connection complaints
- 4,090 received; 3,802 disconnected and 282 regularised