As the district battles with drought, newly developed settlements within Nashik city limits are grappling with acute water scarcity. Despite the city's expansion, the pace of infrastructure development, including aqueducts and water supply channels, has lagged behind. Consequently, residents in these areas are facing a crisis of drinking water supply, necessitating the municipality to provide water through tankers.
With eight tankers making fifty rounds per day, the current water supply situation is strained, and the demand is expected to surge in the coming months. Nashik's water needs are primarily met by Gangapur Dam. However, challenges such as water diversion for irrigation and population growth have exacerbated the water scarcity issue, especially in burgeoning settlements like Makhalabad, Adgaon, Gangapur village, Chandshi, Nandur Naka, and Pathardi village.
The slow progress in laying water channels and constructing reservoirs to cater to the needs of these expanding settlements has exacerbated the water shortage problem. As a result, residents are grappling with severe scarcity, particularly amid the scorching summer months. To address the immediate water needs, the Municipal Corporation is mobilising tanker fleets and considering alternative sources such as nearby wells for water supply.
Amidst the water scarcity, the municipality's efforts to mitigate wastage in established areas are overshadowed by continued negligence. Thousands of litres of water are wasted daily due to inefficient usage practices, including wasteful washing of vehicles and neglecting leakages. Despite these glaring issues, there is a lack of proactive measures from the municipality to address water wastage.
In response to the crisis, the Municipal Water Supply Department has stepped up tanker operations to meet the rising demand. Currently, each tanker conducts five to six rounds daily, with a total of fifty rounds completed per day. With the situation expected to worsen, further measures are being considered to alleviate the water scarcity plight faced by Nashik's residents.
Thousands of litres of water are being wasted every day in Central Nashik areas, Gangapur Road, College Road, Mahatma Nagar, Trimurti Chowk, Pawan Nagar, and other residential areas, bungalows, marriage halls, lawns, and many other party places. Citizens are also wasting water by washing their vehicles, watering gardens, lawns regularly, while many times the taps are kept on while the pipes are kept lying in gardens. All this is happening while people are fighting for water. It is unfortunate that the municipality is not taking any steps to prevent it.
