Pimpri-Chinchwad’s 10% water cut will continue until August 31, 2027, after the Khadakwasla Irrigation Department directed the municipal corporation to maintain the restriction amid reduced rainfall and drought conditions, according to a report by Lokmat – Pune.
The city is currently receiving 665 million litres per day (MLD) from the Pavana and Andra dams and from the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation. This includes 540 MLD from Pavana, 95 MLD from Andra and 30 MLD from MIDC. Against this, the city’s daily requirement is estimated at 770 MLD, leaving a shortfall of 105 MLD.
Pimpri-Chinchwad has already been receiving water on alternate days since November 25, 2019. The latest directive means residents will continue to face reduced supply for about another year, while the municipal water supply department maintains the existing 10% cut.
The reported restrictions come against the backdrop of weak rainfall in Maharashtra and the declaration of drought in some talukas of the state and Pune district. The report attributes the decline in rainfall partly to the influence of El Niño. It also states that any further reduction in releases from the Pavana and Andra reservoirs could intensify water shortages in the city.
The immediate impact is already visible in large housing societies. In the Wakad area, 34 societies with between 200 and 500 flats are reportedly receiving only 50% of their water supply from the municipal corporation. These societies have been relying on private tankers to meet the resulting demand.
Residents of the affected societies are seeking a full water supply. The existing 105 MLD gap has therefore become a pressure point not only for the municipal network but also for high-density housing communities, where tanker dependence can become necessary when piped supply is insufficient.
The city’s supply system combines water from major reservoirs with the MIDC network, but the figures reported by Lokmat – Pune show that current inflows remain below assessed demand. The difference between 665 MLD supplied and 770 MLD required represents a deficit of nearly 14% of daily demand, even before any further reduction in reservoir releases.
Ajay Suryawanshi, assistant city engineer in the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s water supply department, said the 10% cut would continue until August next year and appealed to residents to avoid wastage and use water carefully. The municipal administration has advised households and housing societies to prioritise conservation while the restriction remains in force.
