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Pimpri-Chinchwad: With an alternate-day water supply already in place for over six years, the civic body now plans to implement an additional 10% water cut from Oct 16 as Maharashtra deals with a drought situation, officials said on Wednesday.
Although Pimpri-Chinchwad requires 770 million litres per day (MLD) of water, the city manages to get only 665 MLD due to several reasons, including leakage, water theft and inadequate water resources.
Water supply to drop
According to available information, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) started an alternate-day water supply scheme on Nov 25, 2019, which has now been in place for almost seven years. Residents regularly complain about low pressure and inadequate water supply, especially in large housing societies in the city.
Against the backdrop of drought conditions in the state, the Water Resources Department has directed local self-government bodies to enforce a 10% water cut from Oct 16. The directive will also be implemented in Pimpri-Chinchwad.
Currently, PCMC secures 540 MLD of water from Pavana Dam, 95 MLD from Andra Dam and 30 MLD from the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), totalling 665 MLD. PCMC officials said water supply from the Pavana and Andra dams will be reduced following the 10% cut.
Planning underway
Speaking to the media, Water Resources Department Executive Engineer Kiran Deshmukh said, "Directives have been received from the state government regarding the implementation of a 10% water cut across all local self-government bodies in the state from October 16. An official letter regarding the water cut will be issued to the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation soon."
PCMC officials have repeatedly said the city already receives less water than it needs. Residents have expressed concerns about how the civic body will ensure adequate water supply.
PCMC Joint City Engineer Ajay Suryawanshi told the media, "Currently, water supply in the city is lower than the actual demand. Starting October 16, water will be distributed in the city based on the allocation received from the dams. Planning regarding the water supply will be finalised once the official order from the Water Resources Department is received."
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Full dams, many complaints
According to Water Resources Department data, the dams supplying water to Pimpri-Chinchwad are full. The dams are in Maval and Khed tehsils, which are not among the drought-hit tehsils in Pune district announced by the Government of Maharashtra.
Earlier this month, residents of Wakad, Pimple Saudagar, Tathawade, Thergaon and Punawale reported having to buy water from private tankers during the monsoon. A 412-flat Wakad society was reportedly arranging around 12 tankers a day, while a 479-flat society was spending around ₹50,000 a month on water from a nearby well. A 680-flat society in Thergaon said it was getting only around half its requirement.
Thirty-four large housing societies in Wakad have demanded an audit of PCMC's water distribution.
Additional water supply sought
With PCMC's water supply already falling short, the civic body has sought additional water from other sources, with the Bhama Askhed project remaining key. PCMC officials said regular supply to several new societies will remain difficult until the Bhama Askhed pipeline project becomes operational, which is expected around 2027.
Residents across the city have raised concerns about water supply. PCMC has urged residents to remain calm and use water judiciously, with officials saying planning is underway and guidelines will be issued to residents.
