Nagpur Municipal Corporation has unveiled a plan to save 27.7 million litres of water daily as deficient rainfall and sharply lower reservoir storage raise concerns over the city’s water security. The measures include treated sewage reuse, pipeline leak repairs, greater use of wells and action against water wastage.
The plan was presented on Saturday to revenue minister and Nagpur district guardian minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule. Municipal commissioner Vipin Itankar said the largest component would come from reusing treated sewage water from 10 sewage treatment plants. NMC plans to install hydrants at the plants so tankers can collect recycled water for construction sites, vehicle washing centres, gardens and other non-potable uses.
The proposed reuse programme is expected to save 20 million litres of treated drinking water a day. The civic body also plans to persuade bulk consumers, including the railways, airport authority, Military Engineering Services and hospitals, to use recycled water or well water wherever feasible. NMC officials estimate that this could save another 2 MLD.
NMC has identified 400 wells for increased use, with an estimated saving of 2 MLD. It is also targeting 75 vehicle washing centres for a shift to well or borewell water, which is expected to save 0.03 MLD. Measures against water wastage are projected to generate another 0.5 MLD in savings.
Leakage control forms another part of the plan. The civic body said repairs to 108 water leakages had already saved an estimated 3.8 MLD. Repairs to feeder pipeline leaks are expected to save an additional 3 MLD. NMC also reported that repairs to pipelines damaged by third parties had generated estimated savings of 0.15 MLD.
To reduce such damage during excavation, construction agencies will be directed to obtain prior permission from the NMC water supply department and carry out work in the presence of departmental representatives. The civic body has also disconnected 176 illegal commercial water connections, estimating savings of 0.18 MLD, and plans to disconnect 24 more connections for a further saving of 0.02 MLD.
The combined target is equivalent to 2.77 crore litres a day, or approximately 831 million litres over 30 days. The actual savings will depend on whether recycled water and groundwater can reliably replace potable water for non-drinking uses and whether the proposed enforcement measures are implemented across the city.
The conservation drive comes as storage in several reservoirs supplying Nagpur remains well below last year’s levels. Totladoh reservoir held 342.27 million cubic metres of live storage on October 31, equivalent to 33.66% of its designed live storage capacity. On the same date last year, it stood at 93.75%.
Khindsi reservoir was at 35.27% of capacity, compared with 99.53% a year earlier. Kamthi Khairi stood at 57.34%, against 74.36% last year, while Nand was at 71.53%, compared with full storage a year earlier. Wadgaon was relatively better placed at 90.98%.
NMC’s proposed next steps include installing recycled-water hydrants at the 10 sewage treatment plants, pursuing non-potable water use among bulk consumers, repairing feeder pipeline leaks and taking action against illegal connections and water wastage.
