Despite heavy showers lashing Mumbai in July, the BMC is slated to continue with the 10% water cut. The reason: It is keen on saving enough water till July 31 next year.

The lake level was recorded at 11, 45,564 MLD on Wednesday, compared to11,82,435 MLD on the same day last year.

“At the fag-end of September, when the monsoon will bid adieu to Mumbai , the level should reach 14.45 lakh MLD, so that the water stock last till July 31. Currently, it has reached a level closer to the previous level, but that won't suffice till 2015,” a BMC official reasoned.

“We are doing our best to save as much water as we can. We are waiting for the Bhatsa, the upper Vaitarna and the middle Vaitarna, and Vihar to fill up completely. Water supplied in August and September is also being used from the current stock, so we will have to be careful,” civic body sources informed.

At civic body’s standing committee meeting which held on Wednesday, speculations were rife about withdrawing the water cut, as three of the seven lakes providing potable water to the city started overflowing. But this didn’t happen.

A senior BMC official informed the decision would be taken only after an internal assessment meeting on August 14, after judging the situation then.