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Maharashtra’s dams three-fourths empty, officials told to prioritise drinking water supply

With western Maharashtra's reservoirs hitting critical lows, the state has ordered strict water rationing for household supplies as rural areas face an escalating reliance on water tankers.

As water storage continues to decline, dependence on tanker supply is increasing.As water storage continues to decline, dependence on tanker supply is increasing. (Express Photo)
Written by: Alok Deshpande
2 min readMumbaiJun 15, 2026 05:48 PM IST First published on: Jun 15, 2026 at 04:14 PM IST

Maharashtra’s dams are down to 24.53 per cent of their total storage capacity as a delay in the arrival of the southwest monsoon raises concerns over water availability across the state. In response, the state government has directed officials to prioritise drinking water supply until August 31.

According to data from the Water Resources Department, the Pune division, which covers much of western Maharashtra, has the lowest water storage at just 14.41 per cent of its total capacity. Amaravati division has the highest storage at 37.93 per cent, followed by Nagpur at 36.43 per cent.

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The Konkan division has 30.31 per cent water storage remaining, while Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Nashik divisions are at 27.46 per cent and 25.03 per cent, respectively. At the same time last year, dams across Maharashtra held 30.78 per cent of their total storage capacity.

Alok Deshpande is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express' Mumbai bureau, reco... Read More

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