The heatwave has intensified since the beginning of March, with temperatures in Thane district reaching close to 38 degrees Celsius. However, due to heavy rainfall last year, the Thane Water Resources Department has decided that there will be no water shortage in March this year. Executive Engineer Narendra Mahajan provided this information.
The total water storage capacity of the Barvi Dam is 340.48 million cubic meters, and as of March 6, the dam had 192.46 million cubic meters of water available. This means that the water reservoir is at 56.80% of its total capacity. On the same day last year (March 6, 2024), the water storage in the Barvi Dam stood at 55.40%.
The water supply plan for Thane district is managed by the Water Resources Department. Since the water storage levels in all the dams of Thane district are satisfactory, the department has decided not to implement any water cuts in March.
A decision on water reduction will only be made after assessing the intensity of the heat in March and the rate of water evaporation in April. Mahajan stated that there will be no water shortage in March, as the dam currently holds more than 56% of its capacity.
Water Supply to Industrial Areas from Barvi Dam
The MIDC-operated Barvi Dam supplies water to six municipal corporations, two municipal councils, and industrial areas in Thane district. This includes Thane, Navi Mumbai, Mira-Bhayandar, Kalyan-Dombivli, Ulhasnagar, and Bhiwandi-Nizampur municipal corporations, as well as parts of Ambernath and Kulgaon-Badlapur municipal councils and the industrial zones of Thane district.
The Water Resources Department has also clarified that no directives have been issued to local governing bodies regarding water cuts, as the dam has sufficient water storage. Water shortages in Thane district have been mitigated in recent years following the completion of the height extension work on the 12th dam.
