Pune faces the prospect of tighter water management after the Water Resources Department flagged a possible reduction in municipal supply, including alternate-day distribution, as usable storage in the Khadakwasla project remains about 25% below the annual average.
The issue was discussed at a meeting chaired by Pune district collector Jitendra Dudi at the collectorate on Thursday. Officials reviewed water availability and planning requirements to ensure drinking-water supply until August 31, 2027, according to a report by Civic Mirror – Pune.
The department advised local self-government bodies to reduce water use by 20% and prioritise drinking water over other requirements. The meeting considered the impact of the El Nino phenomenon and the absence of expected retreating rainfall on storage levels and future water availability.
The Khadakwasla project currently has approximately 20 TMC of usable water after accounting for dead storage, evaporation and reserved storage, the report said. This is around 25% lower than the usual level for the period. The available water will have to be planned for both Pune’s drinking-water needs and irrigation.
However, Pune Municipal Corporation commissioner Naval Kishore Ram said the civic body would not impose a cut of more than 10% hastily. He said the final policy would be determined after discussions with all relevant agencies, taking into account water availability, residents’ requirements and the need for equitable distribution.
Ram also said that the existing 10% water reduction was being applied on an average basis to municipal corporations and local bodies across Maharashtra under government and Water Resources Department directions. Local conditions differ between districts, cities and neighbourhoods, he said, making a uniform approach unsuitable in every location.
The situation is different in Pimpri-Chinchwad, which receives water from the Pavana dam. The dam is reported to be at 100% storage, while Khadakwasla’s storage is around 20% lower than the previous year, according to the commissioner’s remarks cited in the report. Officials from both municipal corporations, the Water Resources Department and other agencies are expected to meet jointly before a final decision is taken.
The possible extent of a cut will depend not only on closing supply on selected days but also on pumping schedules, pipeline pressure, the condition of water lines and the disruption caused to residents. Ram said stopping supply for one day could amount to a 10% reduction, while stopping it for two days could result in a reduction of up to 20%, although the actual days and timings will be decided after a detailed review.
Pune has faced similar measures in the past, including in 2014 when storage levels fell. The Pune Municipal Corporation’s equal water-supply scheme is also in its final stage. The civic body expects the scheme to reduce wastage and improve distribution planning, although rising urbanisation, new settlements and growing demand continue to add pressure to the system.
A joint meeting of the concerned departments is expected in the coming days to determine the final policy on water cuts. Until then, the reported possibility of alternate-day supply remains under consideration rather than a confirmed citywide schedule.
