Nashik authorities have been directed to begin water rationing immediately and stop using potable water for construction, gardening, road works and vehicle washing, as poor groundwater recharge raises concerns about supplies over the next seven to eight months.
Water Resources and district guardian minister Girish Mahajan said municipal corporations and councils should increase the gap between water-supply cycles by adding more dry days. The restrictions will also apply to construction linked to the Kumbh Mela, with treated wastewater to be used instead of drinking water for approved non-potable activities.
Mahajan said the region had received deficit rainfall in intense spells, which did not adequately recharge groundwater. As a result, water levels in wells and borewells have fallen sharply. He said local bodies should begin conservation measures immediately rather than wait until shortages become more severe during summer.
“In municipalities where water may be supplied every two days or three days, add one more dry day to it. We will have to practise it now to preserve drinking water for the region so that we can avoid the future crisis,” Mahajan said.
The directive bars the diversion of potable water from dams, lakes and wells for non-drinking purposes. Treated wastewater has been identified for use in gardens, road works, construction and curing activities on ghats. Mahajan also said potable water must not be used for washing vehicles.
The restrictions create an additional operational requirement for agencies working on the Kumbh Mela, whose construction and public-realm works will have to rely on treated wastewater rather than drinking-water sources. The report does not specify the volume of treated wastewater available or the arrangements for its supply to individual projects.
Mahajan also asked that rabi cultivation be avoided in severely drought-hit areas so that available water can be prioritised for drinking and fodder cultivation. He named fodder, corn and bajra among the crops that could be supported to protect livestock. The minister warned that temperatures were expected to rise sharply, increasing pressure on available water stocks.
Instructions have been issued to the Water Resources Department, district collectorate and police to disconnect unauthorised agricultural pumps drawing water from reservoirs. The measures are intended to preserve drinking-water supplies while local bodies manage demand through revised supply schedules and restrictions on non-essential potable-water use.
