Pimpri-Chinchwad’s 10 per cent water cut came into effect on Saturday, with the municipal corporation ordering ward-level inspections at car washing centres and construction sites and warning housing societies to use treated water for gardens and lawns instead of drinking water.
The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) said the measures were introduced because of deficient rainfall and the possibility of water shortages. Municipal Commissioner Vijay Suryavanshi said special inspection squads had been appointed to prevent the misuse of drinking water and support the government-directed reduction in municipal supply.
The civic body will reduce its daily water withdrawal from Pavana dam from 530 million litres per day (MLD) to 480 MLD. Withdrawal from Andra dam will also be reduced from 90 MLD to 80 MLD. Pavana dam was 97 per cent full when the measures were announced.
PCMC executive engineer Mahesh Baride of the water supply department said officials would check whether washing centres and construction sites were using drinking water pipelines. He said construction sites generally use borewell water, but the civic body had decided to stop supplying half-inch pipelines to labour camps because of the water crisis. Washing centres also generally use borewell water, he said, but surprise checks would be conducted to verify that municipal drinking water was not being diverted.
The PCMC has urged builders and developers to use treated water supplied from sewage treatment plants (STPs) for construction work. The civic body has also asked housing societies to use treated water from STPs and greywater treatment plants for gardens, lawns and plants. Societies that do not operate their STPs could face permanent disconnection of their water connections.
New housing projects will not receive full-capacity water connections, according to the municipal administration. Instead, they will be given restricted-diameter connections meant strictly for drinking purposes. The PCMC said electric pumps used to draw water directly from municipal pipelines would be confiscated and could attract penal action.
The civic body also said no new water connections would be issued to washing centres and other large commercial projects. Commercial establishments, construction projects and other non-domestic users will be required to make independent arrangements for their water needs. Penal action will be taken against those found using drinking water for purposes other than domestic use, schools and hospitals.
Suryavanshi said the restrictions were linked to forecasts that rainfall in the state could remain below normal this year and the next because of the El Niño effect. According to the commissioner, the government has directed municipal corporations and other relevant bodies to implement a 10 per cent supply cut to preserve existing water storage until August 31, 2027.
Baride said the PCMC may have to increase the water cut in the future because Pavana dam water is also used for rabi crops in Maval taluka. He added that water levels could decline further after January because of evaporation. The civic body is examining alternative sources, including 83 wells within its limits. Of these, 82 are privately owned and one belongs to the PCMC; officials will assess their available water and whether they can be acquired if shortages worsen.
The municipal corporation has appealed to residents to avoid wastage and use only as much water as necessary. Housing societies that use water prudently and plan consumption effectively will be felicitated by the PCMC.
