Pune to shut swimming pools and vehicle washing centres as water cuts begin tomorrow
Pune residents will receive water on alternate days as low dam storage, delayed monsoon, and El Niño concerns prompt the civic body to introduce conservation measures.
Water tankers have become a way of life in most areas across Pune city. (File Photo) Pune city is bracing for water cuts—an alternate-day supply starting Monday—to tackle the possible water shortage due to the delayed monsoon and predicted deficit rainfall.
The city gets most of its water from four dams—Khadakwasla, Panshet, Varasgaon, and Temghar—and a little from the Bhama Askhed and Pawna dams. However, the Maharashtra Water Resources Department informed the Pune civic body that the city needs to cut down its water consumption to ensure the available storage lasts until the end of August, considering the delay in the monsoon onset and the prediction of low rainfall.
Mayor Manjusha Nagpure said. “The available storage must be used judiciously, so a water cut is being introduced. The residents are asked to use water carefully and stop wastage.”
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has directed the closure of vehicle washing centres and swimming pools, while construction sites must not use water supplied by the civic body, as any violations will lead to action against them.
Only 5,000 million cubic feet (TMC) of water is in the four dams supplying water to the city. Only 3 TMC of water is available for the city. “In the current situation, we decided to provide water on alternate days to meet the possible shortage caused by delayed and predicted insufficient monsoon rainfall,” the mayor said.
The civic body draws 1,550 MLD, and this will be reduced by 400 MLD with the water cut, ensuring the storage lasts until August 20, she added.
The area that gets water from the Bhama Askhed dam will not have a water cut now since the residents are already getting muddy water from it, Nagpure said. She said that when the water situation was bad in 2013-14, a year-long water cut had to be introduced, adding that precautions were being taken now to avoid the situation getting worse.
Nagpure appealed to water tanker service providers not to increase rates.
90 to 95% rainfall
“The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has released its revised monsoon forecast for the period from June to September. The country’s seasonal monsoon is expected to receive around 90 to 95 per cent rainfall. Rainfall below 90 per cent is also possible. The El-Niño effect is also expected to have an impact on the monsoon,” said Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram.
The municipal commissioner said drinking water supplied by the civic body should not be used for construction work; instead, water from sewage treatment plants (STP), borewells, or wells should be used.
Ram said that housing societies should mandatorily keep the STPs operational and use recycled water. Hotels, restaurants, and hostels should also save water in every possible way, and grey water—generated from domestic use—should be recycled for gardening or irrigation.
The municipal commissioner said the water cut would be implemented area-wise and cautiously to ensure there are no technical issues like pipeline bursts. Resuming the water supply after closure in parts of the city often prevents water from reaching the last destination.
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