Water to the city has been supplied from seven dams, constructed in the neighbouring rural and forested areas, at great socio-economic and environmental costs. More such capital-intensive projects are being planned. But does Mumbai really need these projects? The answer, surprising to many, is in the negative as this paper details out. In Mumbai’s history of water supply, the process of estimating water demand has been compromised multiple times and water demands are over-estimated following unrealistic assumptions – to justify the development of dams.The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) currently has a water supply of 3,850 million litres a day (mld). Its estimate for year 2041 is that the city’s water demand will be 5,940 mld. If this demand is not met, the city is expected to face severe water shortages. As a result, the BMC is in the process of developing three large water resources development projects – Gargai Dam, Pinjal Dam and Damanganga-Pinjal link project – with a total capacity of 2,052 mld. Additionally, a desalination project of 200 mld is also in the process of being developed.