Pune district authorities have ordered a 20% reduction in water supply across municipal corporations and municipalities after storage in the Khadakwasla dam chain was reported to be 25% lower than last year, with officials planning supplies through August 31, 2027.
District Collector Jitendra Dudi issued the instructions as the Water Resources Department advised that Pune city may need to move towards alternate-day water supply. The stated objective is to conserve the available stock and ensure drinking water remains available until the end of August next year.
The order applies to Pune city as well as other local bodies in the district. The report said the administration has asked all municipal corporations and municipalities to reduce water distribution by 20% as part of a broader plan for managing drinking-water supplies. The administration cited the El Niño backdrop while calling for careful and planned use of the available water stock.
The Khadakwasla dam chain is a key source for Pune’s water supply. A lower storage level places pressure on the system’s ability to maintain existing supply schedules, particularly when the same reservoir network must serve a large urban population and surrounding settlements. The latest direction puts local water distribution agencies under a common conservation framework rather than leaving decisions to individual local bodies.
The Water Resources Department’s suggestion of alternate-day supply could have a direct effect on household routines, businesses and public institutions if implemented. The supplied report does not specify when the revised schedule will begin or how the 20% reduction will be distributed between different areas. It also does not provide the current volume of water stored in the dam chain or details of locality-wise supply plans.
Alongside the reduction, the district administration has ordered action against unauthorised water extraction. Joint flying squads involving the revenue administration, the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company, the police and the Water Resources Department are to be established to identify and stop illegal pumping.
The teams have been instructed to seize pumps and motors used for unauthorised extraction. Where water theft is detected, the electricity distribution department has been directed to disconnect the power connections of those involved. The district administration has also asked the police to provide protection where required during enforcement operations.
The measures indicate that the water plan will rely on both demand reduction and tighter control over withdrawals outside the formal supply network. For residents, the immediate operational question is how each local body will translate the district-wide 20% order into ward-level schedules and daily supply timings.
District authorities have not announced a separate implementation calendar in the supplied report. The next steps are the formation of the joint enforcement squads, coordination between local bodies and water agencies, and preparation of supply plans intended to maintain drinking-water availability through August 31, 2027.
