Pune’s water supply disruption is expected to ease after the Pune Municipal Corporation restored pumping operations at the Khadakwasla pumping station, following a series of electrical faults that affected treatment and distribution systems across the city over three days. Several areas continue to face delayed supply and low pressure as the civic administration works to recover the accumulated shortfall.
PMC Additional Municipal Commissioner Pavneet Kaur said normal power supply and pumping operations at Khadakwasla resumed at 8 am on November 1. The affected areas include the Peth localities, Pune Station, Kharadi, Wadgaon Sheri, Bhandarkar Road, parts of Kothrud, Karve Nagar, Shivajinagar and Aundh.
The disruption involved faults in both Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited power infrastructure and PMC’s electrical installations. It was compounded by the scheduled weekly water supply shutdown on October 29, which was undertaken as part of the city’s water conservation measures.
According to Kaur, an electrical cable fault at the Parvati Water Treatment Plant on October 30 forced the shutdown of its 350 million-litre-per-day old treatment plant for about four hours. Repairs were completed within that period, after which treatment and supply operations resumed.
A larger interruption occurred on October 31 when the MSEDCL express feeder supplying electricity from Nanded City to the Khadakwasla Pumping Station was damaged during construction work. MSEDCL arranged an alternative connection through the Urban Gram Express Feeder, but the overhead line later developed a short circuit after a monkey came into contact with the electrical infrastructure, Kaur said.
Although the short circuit was rectified, an inspection found that two transformers at the Khadakwasla station had also been damaged. PMC deployed diesel generator sets to limit the impact. The emergency arrangement maintained raw water pumping to the Warje Water Treatment Plant at about 80% capacity, with four of the station’s five pumps operating.
The operating and maintenance agency, Vishwaraj Environment Limited, arranged two replacement transformers with a capacity of 1,200 kVA each on a rental basis from a private supplier on October 31. One transformer was installed and commissioned, allowing normal power supply and pumping to resume on November 1. The second transformer, intended to replace the unit supporting the remaining pumping section on diesel-generator backup, was scheduled for installation and commissioning on the same day.
“All major electrical faults have been rectified, and normal pumping operations have resumed. Additional pumping hours will be provided to the maximum extent operationally feasible to compensate for the accumulated shortfall, particularly in the affected distribution zones,” Kaur said.
PMC engineers have been instructed to monitor distribution, prioritise low-pressure complaints and take corrective action in affected areas. The civic administration has also directed attention towards maintaining adequate supply during the Diwali festival period. Additional pumping hours will be used subject to operational feasibility as the corporation works to restore regular pressure and clear the temporary supply backlog.
