Pune’s once-a-week water cut is disrupting laundry services across several parts of the city, with operators reducing wash cycles, delaying deliveries, turning away customers and considering higher charges as tanker and procurement costs rise.
Laundry businesses in Dhanori, NIBM, Vishrantwadi, Kothrud, Pratik Nagar and Hadapsar reported that reduced water availability was affecting both washing capacity and turnaround times. Pratik Rajguru of A to Z Quick Laundry in Dhanori said the business had temporarily stopped accepting clothes because of the shortage.
Rajguru said a 15kg wash cycle required 7-8 litres of water, while dry cleaning used only a fraction of that quantity. Several laundries that previously relied on regular municipal supply are now using private tankers, increasing their daily operating expenses.
A medium-sized laundry typically uses between 800 and 1,000 litres of water a day, depending on machine capacity, order volumes and the services provided. Owners said the shortage had forced them to reduce the number of wash cycles and, in some cases, restrict the categories of clothes they accept.
Tulsiraj Kanodia of White Star Dry Cleaner in Vishrantwadi said the business was accepting only blankets, sarees and high-value items. The operator added that customers were being turned away while water availability remained uncertain.
In NIBM, a laundry owner said charges per item could rise because the cost of procuring water had increased. Customers in affected areas are already reporting higher prices. Hadapsar resident Dhara Sanghvi said she was paying Rs 3-5 more per item for washing and dry cleaning, particularly for bed sheets and bulky garments.
Some businesses have managed to continue operations through private or local sources, but these supplies are also under pressure. The owner of Posh Wash Laundry in Kothrud said the business depended on its own well, although water levels were low this year. Lower order volumes had helped the operator manage the situation so far.
At Rapid Clean Laundry in Pratik Nagar, operator Shashank Dinkar said hostel students and bachelors formed a large part of the customer base. The laundry, which offers washing by kilogram, was unable to process orders daily and was running wash cycles once every two days, leading to delivery delays.
Water and electricity problems have also affected laundry operations in Hadapsar. Prakash Tambe of Sai Laundry said the business had increased its charge from Rs 60 to Rs 80 per kg and was operating wash cycles only two or three times a week whenever water was available.
The service disruption is also extending the time customers wait for their clothes. Wanowrie resident Sania Singh said garments were taking more than a week to return, making it difficult to track items handed over to the laundry and those received back.
Laundry operators are continuing to adjust wash schedules, restrict orders and manage alternative water supplies as the cuts persist. The reported impact is currently being experienced through reduced service availability, longer delivery times and higher costs for customers.
