Nashik Water Crisis Deepens: Drinking Water Reserved, Irrigation Banned As Dam Levels Drop To 25%

Nashik: Water scarcity in Nashik district has reached an alarming level due to the delayed arrival of the monsoon and persistently high temperatures. In response, the Water Resources Department has reserved the remaining water stock in the district's dams exclusively for drinking purposes until 31 August and imposed a complete ban on the use of dam water for irrigation. Proposals seeking additional water supply for industrial purposes have also been rejected.

According to official data, the district's 26 major dams currently hold only 17,856 million cubic feet of water, which is around 25 per cent of their total storage capacity. With water levels continuing to decline, the district administration and the Water Resources Department have decided to prioritise drinking water needs and implement strict conservation measures.

The impact of the water shortage is already being felt across the district. Drinking water is currently being supplied through 180 private tankers to 655 locations, including 174 villages and 480 hamlets across 11 talukas. These tankers make 382 trips daily and provide water to nearly 3.19 lakh residents who are dependent on tanker supply.

To tackle the worsening situation, taluka-level committees will be established to monitor water distribution, prevent water theft and curb illegal extraction. Officials have also warned that if adequate rainfall is not received by the end of August, water may have to be drawn from the dams' dead storage reserves. Block Development Officers have been instructed to prepare detailed tanker deployment plans for every affected village.

The delayed monsoon has added to concerns. The district normally receives an average of 77 mm of rainfall between 1 and 14 June. However, only 11 mm has been recorded so far this year. During the same period last year, the district received 44 mm of rainfall. Among the talukas, Dindori recorded the highest rainfall at 19.2 mm, while Baglan received just 1 mm.

The District Collector's office has appealed to residents to use water responsibly and avoid wastage. Officials have expressed hope that the situation will improve with the arrival of the monsoon, while also stressing the need for careful water management ahead of the upcoming Simhastha Kumbh Mela.

Nandgaon remains the worst-affected taluka, with 230 locations and more than 53,000 residents dependent on tanker supply. Yeola follows with 114 locations and over 82,000 affected citizens. Sinnar, Malegaon and Igatpuri are also facing severe shortages.

Among the major reservoirs, Girna dam currently holds the highest water stock at 5,586 million cubic feet, followed by Mukane (2,002), Gangapur (1,947), Gautami-Godavari (1,409), Darna (1,137) and Kashyapi (753). Manikpunj dam has completely dried up, while Waghad, Bhojapur, Waki, Bham, Punad, Tisgaon, Alandi and Punegaon dams have storage levels below 10 per cent of capacity.