Pune Faces Impending Water Shortage; Officials Advise Conservation Measures

Khadakwasla, 11th December 2023: The Khadakwasla Project, which supplies drinking water to Pune, reported a concerning water reserve of 24.10 TMC (Thousand Million Cubic Feet) as of today. Out of this reserve, a mere 11.99 TMC will be allocated for drinking purposes in the city. This available water reserve is estimated to sustain the city for approximately six months, concluding by the end of May 2023.

The current status has raised alarms about an imminent water shortage in Pune during the upcoming summer. In light of this, residents are urged to use water judiciously starting now to mitigate the impending crisis. While the ongoing winter session of the Maharashtra State Legislature has hampered the official release of information from the Water Resources Department of the Maharashtra Government, the reported data has been verified by the department.

Pune relies on water from the Khadakwasla, Temghar, Panshet, and Varasgaon dams of the Khadakwasla project for its water supply. The total useful water storage across these dams is 29.15 TMC, with only 24.10 TMC remaining.

Comparatively, there was 26.35 TMC of total water storage available in these four dams on the same date last year. This indicates a decrease of 2.25 TMC in the total water storage this year.

The Water Resources Department allocates a drinking water quota of 14.61 TMC per year for Pune City. However, Pune citizens currently utilize 20.49 TMC annually. This discrepancy emphasizes the need for conservation, especially considering the expanding urbanization in the suburbs and the inclusion of 23 more villages under the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).

In light of these circumstances, Pune requires more than 2 TMC of water per month. Given the current water storage levels, officials, speaking anonymously, project that the available reserves will suffice until the end of May.

Additionally, the Khadakwasla Dam supplies water to the Daund Municipal Council and several rural villages, supporting two cycles for Rabi and the Summer crop season. However, due to diminished rainfall in the district this year, only one summer cycle is anticipated.

Water Status in Khadakwasla Project:
– Total water storage in these projects: 29.15 TMC
– Current available stock: 24.10 TMC
– Water storage: 2.25 TMC less than last year

Water Allocation Planning by Water Resources Department (Annual):
– Drinking water for Pune city: 14.61 TMC
– Water loss (evaporation and conduction): 2.72 TMC
– Water for Daund city and rural areas: 0.85 TMC
– Water available for irrigation: 8.54 TMC