Residents Fear Hardship As Pune Plans Alternate-Day Water Supply: 'Tankers Will Get Costlier'

Pune is set to face an alternate-day water supply from June 15 as the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) administration is set to enforce restrictions due to critically low storage levels in the Khadakwasla dam chain.

The decision follows a sharp drop in reservoir levels, with officials confirming that a circular will be issued shortly. The move is aimed at stretching available water reserves until the monsoon stabilises inflows.

Authorities said the dam chain currently holds about 5.87 TMC of water, of which roughly 3 TMC is considered usable for city supply after accounting for other essential allocations. With Pune's daily demand estimated at around 1,500 MLD, officials warned that an uninterrupted daily supply is no longer sustainable.

A review meeting led by city administrators concluded that alternate-day supply, along with strict enforcement measures, is the only viable option to manage resources until the end of August. Distribution will be regulated across all 158 water supply zones, with monitoring teams deployed to curb wastage.

The crisis has been linked to weak rainfall in the catchment areas feeding the Khadakwasla dam chain and delayed monsoon progress, raising concerns over further depletion in the coming weeks.

As part of emergency measures, the municipal corporation is preparing to shut down washing centres and swimming pools, restrict the use of drinking water for construction activities, and expand the use of treated wastewater for non-drinking purposes. Inspection squads will also conduct surprise checks to prevent misuse of potable water.

Many residents expressed concern over the impact of the alternate-day supply and the uncertainty ahead.

"I already plan my day around water timings. If it becomes alternate-day, it will be very difficult for families like ours. We have six members, all adults, and it's summer, so we have already made arrangements for storing water," said Omkar Wable, a resident of Kothrud.

"We are worried because tankers will become expensive again. Last year, too, we struggled during similar cuts, and despite knowing that the water crisis is a huge issue, the PMC didn't prepare itself. Now we will face the brunt of it," said Shubhangi Deshmukh, a resident of Hadapsar.

"In apartments, even storing water for one day is manageable, but beyond that, it becomes a problem for maintenance and hygiene. Also, we are on the fourth floor, so the water pressure is sometimes very weak, and we don't get a good flow of water, due to which storing water in buckets becomes a challenge," said Sajjad Sheikh, a resident of Kondhwa.

Officials have urged citizens to cooperate with conservation efforts and reduce non-essential water usage, stating that strict monitoring will continue until reservoir levels improve.

Municipal authorities reiterated that while restrictions were avoided during peak summer to reduce hardship, current storage conditions leave no alternative but to enforce rationing until sustained rainfall replenishes supplies.