Pune will face a citywide water supply shutdown every Thursday from October 15, 2026, after the Pune Municipal Corporation cited lower-than-usual storage in the dams supplying the city and concerns over the possible impact of El Niño on rainfall. The civic body has asked residents, housing societies, commercial establishments and institutions to reduce water consumption by at least 10 per cent.
The decision was announced by PMC Additional Commissioner Pavneet Kaur and follows a review of water availability in the Khadakwasla dam chain, Bhama Askhed Dam and Pavana Dam. According to a PMC press note, the Khadakwasla dam chain had 26.22 TMC of water remaining as of October 12. The civic body said the available storage was below the level recorded in a typical year.
The review considered inputs from the Irrigation Department and projected drinking water requirements for the coming months. The PMC said the weekly suspension is intended to conserve available water and help maintain adequate drinking water supplies across the municipal corporation limits.
The move follows a Maharashtra Water Resources Department resolution issued on October 5, directing local self-government bodies to reduce water consumption by at least 10 per cent from October 16. The reduction could be increased if necessary to ensure that available water stocks last until August 31, 2027. The resolution also directs local authorities to plan water utilisation, prioritise competing requirements and take preventive measures against a possible drought-like situation.
Under its conservation guidelines, the PMC has asked residents not to use drinking water for construction. Treated wastewater from sewage treatment plants, borewell water or well water should be used instead. Housing societies with sewage treatment plants have been told to keep them operational and reuse treated wastewater for gardening and toilet flushing.
The civic body has also directed residents to repair leaking taps, flush tanks and pipelines, prevent overhead tanks from overflowing and install automatic float valves where necessary. Public and private vehicle-washing centres have been asked to shut down, while the use of PMC-supplied or borewell water for washing vehicles, cleaning courtyards and footpaths, filling swimming pools or maintaining gardens has been prohibited.
Hotels, restaurants, private hostels and college hostels have been urged to adopt water-saving measures. Residents have also been asked to reuse relatively clean domestic wastewater for gardening and cleaning, avoid unnecessary storage and report leaking public pipelines or other water wastage to the civic body.
The PMC warned that unauthorised water connections could invite action, including the registration of criminal cases against those responsible. Water-related complaints can be registered through the PMC call centre at 1800-1030-222, WhatsApp at 9689900002 or the PMC CARE app. Any changes to the Thursday supply suspension for urgent operational reasons will be communicated through the PMC’s official website.
