Mumbai’s Powai Lake Overflows as Heavy Rains Soak City

Mumbai– Persistent heavy rainfall over the past two days has caused Powai Lake, a significant artificial reservoir managed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), to overflow, according to civic officials. The lake, located in the Powai area, began spilling over at approximately 6 am on Wednesday, reaching its maximum water level of 195.10 feet.

The BMC reported that the lake, which holds 545 crore litres (5.45 billion litres) of non-potable water, was pushed beyond its capacity due to intense showers in its catchment area. Primarily used for industrial purposes and to supply non-drinking water to the Aarey Milk Colony, Powai Lake is not a source of potable water for the city. Seven other reservoirs Bhatsa, Upper Vaitarna, Middle Vaitarna, Tansa, Modak Sagar, Vihar, and Tulsi provide Mumbai with 385 crore litres of drinking water.

Constructed in 1890 at a cost of Rs 12.59 lakh, Powai Lake spans a water area of 2.23 square kilometres when full, with a catchment area of 6.61 square kilometres. Situated 27 kilometres from the BMC headquarters, the lake is a popular recreational spot surrounded by greenery and high-rise buildings. This year’s overflow occurred 20 days earlier than in 2024, highlighting the intensity of the current monsoon season, a BMC official noted.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted cloudy skies with heavy rainfall at isolated locations in Mumbai on Wednesday, issuing a yellow alert for the city. Posts on X from the BMC and Mid-Day confirmed the overflow, emphasizing the lake’s role and the impact of the recent downpour.

The overflow comes amid widespread monsoon-related disruptions across Maharashtra. The IMD issued a red alert for Raigad and the ghat areas of Pune and Satara, predicting extremely heavy rainfall, while Mumbai and neighboring districts like Thane, Palghar, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg remain under an orange alert for heavy to very heavy showers.