Good News For Pimpri-Chinchwad Residents! Pawana Dam Fills Beyond 82%, Easing Drinking Water Worries In PCMC

Pimpri-Chinchwad: Pawana Dam, the main source of drinking water for Pimpri-Chinchwad and parts of Maval, has reached 82.42% of its total storage capacity. This has brought major relief to residents ahead of the coming months.

According to official data released on Tuesday morning, the dam's water level stood at 611.31 metres. The catchment area has received 1,669 mm of rainfall so far this monsoon, including 46 mm in the last 24 hours.

The dam currently holds 229.82 million cubic metres (7,993.13 MCFT) of water, of which 198.68 million cubic metres (6,892.43 MCFT) is available as live storage for drinking and other purposes.

Officials said the dam is yet to reach full capacity, and the water level remains under control. As a result, no water is being released from the Pawana Hydroelectric Power Station or through the main spillway at present.

With steady rainfall continuing in the catchment area, officials expect the reservoir to fill further in the coming days. The healthy water storage is expected to meet the drinking water needs of Pimpri-Chinchwad and support agricultural requirements in the Maval region.

Water supply concerns were very big when Pimpri-Chinchwad faced issues during the months of May and June. A 15% water cut was announced despite the water supply already being on alternate days. That's why there is relief.  

The Pawana Project…

The Pawana Direct Pipeline Project is a proposed 40-km underground pipeline to transport raw water directly from Pawana Dam in Maval to the Nigdi Water Treatment Plant in Pimpri-Chinchwad. The project aims to improve the city's long-term drinking water security by reducing losses from evaporation, seepage and unauthorised lifting while ensuring a more reliable water supply for its growing population.

However, it has remained stalled for over 15 years due to strong opposition from farmers in Maval, who fear it could eventually reduce water available for irrigation and weaken their control over local water resources. The project was suspended after a police firing during protests in 2011 that claimed three farmers' lives.

Although revived by the Maharashtra government in 2023, it has seen little progress. Earlier this month, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the project would proceed only with farmers' consent, making dialogue the government's priority while balancing urban water needs and agricultural interests.