Pune’s municipal corporation has decided to suspend the city’s water supply every Thursday from 15 October as part of an appeal to residents to conserve water, even as water use at the civic headquarters has raised questions about administrative consistency.
The Pune Municipal Corporation announced the weekly shutdown in view of water availability and urged residents not to use drinking water for vehicle washing and other non-essential activities. The decision means that water supply will remain closed across the city every Thursday, according to a report by Pudhari – Pune.
Questions about the civic body’s own water-use practices emerged during a mock drill held at the municipal headquarters on Tuesday, 13 October, to mark the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction. The exercise simulated a fire at the headquarters and was conducted by the fire brigade to test its ability to respond quickly to an emergency.
One fire tender was used for the exercise, during which an estimated 1,000 litres of water was released in a high-pressure spray. The quantity was described as an estimate, and the report did not provide a measured consumption figure. Water use for fire-response training is necessary to test equipment and operational readiness, but the exercise has drawn attention because it took place as the civic administration was asking residents to reduce consumption.
The report also stated that a water pipe was used on the same day to wash gutkha stains from the entrance route and porch of the municipal headquarters. The use of water for cleaning the premises has led to questions about whether drinking water was used and whether recycled or reused water was available for the task.
The issue is not whether water is required for emergency preparedness. A fire drill involving a fire tender must test the vehicle, pump and spray systems under operating conditions. The immediate question raised by the incident is how such exercises and routine cleaning are planned during a period when the administration is imposing a weekly interruption in supply and advising citizens to avoid avoidable consumption.
The civic body’s appeal places responsibility on households and other water users to limit consumption, particularly for activities such as vehicle washing. The reported use of an estimated 1,000 litres during the drill, along with the water used to clean the headquarters entrance, has therefore created a demand for greater clarity about the source, quantity and intended use of the water consumed on the premises.
The report did not state how much water was used to clean the gutkha stains, whether potable water was used, or whether the municipal corporation has a formal protocol for using treated or recycled water for non-essential cleaning. It also did not report any response from the civic administration to the questions raised about the cleaning activity.
The weekly water-supply shutdown began on 15 October, while the mock drill and cleaning activity were reported to have taken place on 13 October. The municipal corporation’s stated next step is the continuation of the Thursday shutdown and its appeal for residents to conserve water.
