Maharashtra’s dam water storage has fallen to 75.25% of capacity, down from 88.82% at the same time last year, raising fresh concerns over drinking water availability and drought conditions across the state. The Marathwada region is the most exposed, with storage at only 44.92% of capacity.
According to a report by Loksatta, Maharashtra received 804.4 mm of rain during the four-month monsoon season, against the average of 994.5 mm. This represents a 19% shortfall. While heavy rainfall in July helped fill most reservoirs, a prolonged break in rainfall during August and September, combined with rising temperatures, has accelerated the decline in available water.
The report said the state’s overall reservoir storage is 13.75 percentage points lower than last year. The July rainfall had temporarily eased concerns over drinking water supplies, but the subsequent dry period has begun to affect both reservoirs and groundwater sources. Water levels in wells and borewells are reportedly falling rapidly.
The situation is particularly severe in Marathwada. Storage across large, medium and small reservoirs in the region stands at 44.92%, compared with 82.76% last year, a decline of 37.83 percentage points. The figures indicate that the region has entered the post-monsoon period with significantly less water available than it had a year ago.
In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, 44 major projects hold 60.86% of their total capacity. However, the 81 medium projects in the district have only 23.69% storage, while the 804 minor projects have 16.41%. The report said that, apart from the major projects, many medium and small reservoirs were effectively dry at the beginning of October.
The shrinking storage is also creating pressure on local drinking water arrangements. In Solapur district, authorities have begun the process of taking wells and borewells under government acquisition for drinking water supply, according to the report. Such measures indicate how declining surface and groundwater levels can quickly become an administrative issue for towns and villages dependent on local sources.
For urban administrations, the storage position is relevant not only to immediate drinking water supply but also to the scheduling of water distribution, the management of emergency sources and coordination with district authorities. The report does not provide details of statewide restrictions or a revised supply timetable. The immediate next step will be continued monitoring of reservoir, well and borewell levels as the dry period progresses.