Large parts of Pune are grappling with erratic water supply and falling pressure levels, raising fresh concerns about the resilience of the city’s ageing distribution network and the preparedness of civic systems to manage rising urban demand. Residents across multiple neighbourhoods reported irregular supply schedules and weakened flow over the past week, even after a planned day-long shutdown intended to stabilise distribution.
The complaints span a wide geography, from eastern suburbs such as Kalas, Dhanori and Lohegaon to western and central pockets including Bavdhan, Pashan, Shivajinagar, Hadapsar, Kondhwa and the NIBM Road belt. In several of these areas, households say water is being supplied for fewer hours than scheduled, often at pressure levels insufficient to reach upper floors of residential buildings. Local representatives across wards have confirmed a spike in citizen grievances. Newly elected corporators say water-related complaints now dominate discussions at neighbourhood meetings, surpassing issues such as road repairs or solid waste management. In fast-growing peripheral zones, residents argue that civic infrastructure has not kept pace with new housing development, leaving distribution systems overstretched. Urban infrastructure specialists note that Pune’s water challenges are no longer confined to summer scarcity. Instead, frequent pressure drops and supply interruptions increasingly point to systemic issues such as pipeline leakages, uneven zoning, and inadequate monitoring of the distribution grid. While civic officials often attribute disruptions to faults in underground pipelines, the absence of transparent data on inspection cycles and repair timelines has fuelled public frustration.
A senior political representative in the municipal corporation said the newly reconstituted general body is expected to take up water supply disruptions as a priority issue when it resumes functioning next week. According to the representative, repeated assurances citing pipeline faults raise deeper questions about preventive maintenance practices and whether routine network audits are being carried out across the city. For a city positioning itself as a knowledge and innovation hub, planners warn that unreliable basic services such as water supply undermine liveability and long-term economic competitiveness. Pune’s urban footprint has expanded rapidly over the last decade, particularly in peri-urban areas where new residential clusters depend on legacy infrastructure designed for far lower population densities. Environmental planners also point out that intermittent supply and low pressure often push households towards private borewells and water tankers, accelerating groundwater depletion and increasing household costs. This coping mechanism, while common, weakens the city’s broader water security and climate resilience.
As Pune prepares for another summer cycle, the current disruptions highlight the urgency of shifting from reactive repairs to predictive infrastructure management. Experts argue that regular pressure mapping, real-time leakage detection and phased pipeline upgrades must become central to urban service delivery. Without such measures, water stress risks becoming a year-round civic flashpoint rather than a seasonal challenge.
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Pune Residents Flag Worsening Water Pressure Issues
