Water rationing in Pune

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Pune: Facing the prospect of a weak monsoon and rapidly dwindling water reserves, the Pune Municipal Corporation will begin imposing its proposed water cuts across the city, with residents set to receive water on alternate days from today.

As part of the restrictions, vehicle washing centers and swimming pools across the city will be closed, while concerns are mounting over the impact the curbs could have on Pune’s booming construction sector.

The move comes as water levels in the Khadakwasla dam system — the city’s principal source of drinking water — have fallen sharply. Officials say only about 5 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) of water remains in storage, raising fears that reserves could come under severe strain if monsoon rains arrive late or fall short of expectations.

State authorities have already warned of the possibility of below-normal rainfall in Maharashtra this year, citing the influence of the El Niño weather pattern. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had earlier directed government departments to prepare contingency plans for water management, prompting city officials to reassess Pune’s consumption patterns and available reserves.

According to municipal officials, Pune has been allotted 3 TMC of water from the current stock, but state government directives require that this reserve be stretched until August 31. The commissioner said the decision to impose alternate-day supply was driven by the need to ensure that the allocated volume lasts through the critical pre-monsoon period.

Management Strategy

The announcement has also revived longstanding questions about the city’s broader water management strategy. Civic activists and residents have raised concerns about the lack of measures to curb everyday wastage, including overflowing overhead tanks in housing societies, leaking household taps and losses within the distribution network. There are also discussions over whether the municipal corporation should assume control of older wells within the city and integrate them into its emergency water supply plans.

The Khadakwasla dam chain has a total storage capacity of 29.15 TMC. While the Water Resources Department has allocated 14.61 TMC annually to the municipal corporation, the city’s actual consumption has surged to nearly 20.87 TMC. Water from the Bhama-Askhed dam supplements supplies to eastern neighbourhoods such as Yerwada and Vadgaon Sheri, but demand has continued to climb.

The expansion of Pune’s municipal limits — including the recent incorporation of 32 surrounding villages — has further increased the city’s annual water requirement to about 21 TMC, putting additional pressure on already stretched resources.

For many residents, the impending cuts underscore a deeper problem: a city whose growth has outpaced its infrastructure. Despite Pune’s reputation as a relatively water-secure urban center, large sections of the city struggle with uneven distribution.

In the densely populated old Peth areas, residents often complain that water pressure is too weak to reach upper floors. In newer suburban developments, dependence on private water tankers has become commonplace.

Now, with restrictions being imposed even before the monsoon has fully set in, many Pune residents fear that the coming months could bring a more severe water crisis. The decision to ration supply, they say, is a stark reminder that one of India’s fastest-growing cities remains vulnerable to both the vagaries of the weather and the shortcomings of its own infrastructure.