With monsoon yet to arrive, Upper Lake level drops 1.4 feet in 34 days

Bhopal: City’s primary drinking water source, the centuries-old Upper Lake, has fallen to 1,659.20 feet, dropping 1.4 feet in just 34 days.

The lake, which supplies water to nearly 40% of the city’s population (around 8–10 lakh people), is now just 7.2 feet above dead storage at 1,652 feet. Officials and water experts warn that if the decline continues and the monsoon is delayed, the city could face a serious drinking water crisis within weeks.

Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) data shows the lake level has dropped from 1,660.60 feet on May 5, marking one of the sharpest pre-monsoon declines in recent years, comparable to conditions seen in 2013. Rising temperatures and increased consumption have further accelerated evaporation losses. The current situation also recalls 2016, when water levels had similarly dipped.

While officials acknowledge the concern, they note that in extreme situations, water can be drawn down to 1,645 feet. In March, the administration also banned new private borewells to curb falling groundwater levels. About 10% of the city’s supply still depends on tube wells and hand pumps, many of which go dry during peak summer.

The BMC has urged residents to conserve water as monsoon is expected soon, with any delay likely to deepen the crisis. Meanwhile, the civic body reported 21,369 water samples tested since January, along with repairs of 6,044 leaks, including 35 fixed recently and 105 samples collected this week for quality checks across multiple labs, including slum areas.