Pimpri Chinchwad, its residents continue to face an ongoing struggle with water scarcity. Since November 2019, the city’s water supply has been limited to every alternate day, leaving citizens to rely heavily on costly water tankers. This water crisis has led many housing societies to spend lakhs of rupees annually to meet basic needs.
In Chikhali, for instance, a housing society with 206 flats spends up to Rs 3 lakh every month on water tankers, while a smaller society in Moshi with just 66 flats allocates Rs 50,000 per month for the same purpose. The city’s daily water requirement is a staggering 720 million litres, but it currently receives only 620 million litres from the irrigation department, according to recent data shared by the deputy chief minister in the state assembly. As the city’s population continues to grow, its water supply infrastructure remains unable to keep up, resulting in residents paying a heavy price for an essential resource. For many residents, this is not just a summer problem. Even during the cooler months, they are forced to make alternative arrangements for water. Groundwater levels in certain areas have depleted over time, further exacerbating the crisis.
As a result, some housing societies have to rely on water tankers year-round, leaving them financially strained. One such society in Chikhali struggles with limited water connections from the local municipal corporation. Despite having over 200 homes, it was only allotted eight water connections, far fewer than the 20 connections the residents had requested. This shortfall means that many residents must arrange for additional water supplies at their own expense. The situation worsens during the summer when most local borewells dry up, further stressing the city’s already limited water supply. In Wakad, another large housing society has implemented rainwater harvesting and a sewage treatment plant to reduce reliance on external water sources. Despite these efforts, they still spend over Rs 1 lakh each month on water tankers, especially during peak summer months when the need for water skyrockets.
With Pimpri Chinchwad’s population expected to nearly double by 2041, the current water infrastructure is struggling to cope. The city’s water sources, including the Pavana and Andhra dams, currently supply most of the water, but these sources are not sufficient to meet the growing demand. The municipal corporation has acknowledged the need for additional water, with plans to seek 760 million litres per day from the Tata Dam in Mulshi to help bridge the gap. Municipal officials have outlined several projects aimed at improving the city’s water supply. These include the construction of a direct pipeline from the Pavana Dam to reduce water loss, as well as a new pipeline from the Andhra Dam. However, even with these projects in the pipeline, it remains uncertain whether the city will be able to meet the water needs of its expanding population, especially given the challenges of water loss through leaks and evaporation.
In the meantime, residents continue to bear the brunt of the water crisis. Despite paying their taxes and adhering to municipal regulations, they are left with no choice but to rely on expensive water tankers to sustain their daily lives. While the municipal corporation is making efforts to address the issue through infrastructure improvements and new water management plans, the future of Pimpri Chinchwad’s water supply remains uncertain, and the struggle for a reliable, regular water supply persists.
