Maharashtra Govt To Test Desilting At 7 Major Irrigation Projects Before Mumbai Reservoir Cleanup
Mumbai, September 30, 2026: The state government will test desilting at seven major irrigation projects, with silt and silt-mixed sand to be removed through the respective Irrigation Development Corporations. The pilot findings will decide whether to take up desilting of seven reservoirs supplying drinking water to Mumbai, the civic administration said in response to corporators’ demand. Demand…
The Maharashtra government plans to test desilting at seven major irrigation projects ahead of a cleanup of Mumbai's reservoirs, according to a September 30 announcement. The state government will oversee the removal of silt and silt-mixed sand using the respective Irrigation Development Corporations. The BMC, in response to corporators' demands, will assess whether desilting seven reservoirs supplying drinking water to Mumbai is necessary.
Standing Committee Chairman Prabhakar Shinde has advocated for regular desilting of Mumbai's reservoirs every five to 10 years, preferably before monsoon, due to soil, leaf litter, and waste accumulation reducing storage capacity and impacting summer water supply. The BMC has appointed the Maharashtra Engineering Research Institute (MERI) to conduct silt surveys, which revealed storage-capacity declines ranging from 1.709 to 16.42 percent at various reservoirs.
While Tansa reservoir's silt accumulation hasn't affected water supply, the BMC is seeking expert consultants to evaluate desilting needs and feasibility following Central Water Commission (CWC) guidelines. Mumbai's seven lakes currently hold 13.94 lakh million liters of water, sufficient until May 17, 2027, but a 10 percent water cut is expected to persist until the next monsoon.
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