Pune, 8th April 2026: The Water Resources Department has directed the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), and industries in the MIDC areas to implement a 15 percent reduction in water usage in view of the forecast of below-normal rainfall this year. The decision has raised concerns about the possibility of water cuts in the city in the coming months.
According to officials, the India Meteorological Department has indicated that the monsoon in 2026 may be weaker due to the likely impact of El Ni├▒o and the Indian Ocean Dipole. In response, the state government has planned stricter management of available water resources to ensure adequate drinking water supply until July 31, 2026, and avoid shortages. As part of this strategy, civic bodies have been instructed to reduce water usage by 15 percent every month.
PMC Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram said the city currently receives location-based water supply, and the distribution is uneven in several areas. тАЬSome localities receive more water while others get less. However, with proper planning, it is possible to maintain adequate supply to residents even with a 15 percent reduction,тАЭ he said.
The city has around 3.5 lakh water connections, of which about 1.5 lakh are unauthorised. Officials estimate that nearly 25 percent of water is lost due to leakages and theft. The civic body has launched a special drive to curb water losses and regularise illegal connections. Action is still pending against around 40,000 to 50,000 unauthorised connections.
Meanwhile, the Water Resources Department has released a fund of тВ╣25 crore until March 31 for water management measures. Although the current water supply standard is about 135 litres per person per day, distribution issues mean that not all areas receive equal supply. PMC has already reviewed water supply in 35 zones and the assessment of remaining zones is underway.
Water storage in the Khadakwasla dam chain currently stands at 13.20 TMC, which is 45.29 percent of its capacity. During the same period last year, the storage was 12.40 TMC, or 41.30 percent.
At present, PMC draws around 1,560 million litres of water per day. With the proposed 15 percent reduction, this will drop to about 1,300 MLD. The monthly water consumption, which currently stands at around 1.65 TMC, is expected to decrease to about 1.4 TMC after the reduction.
A key meeting between the Water Resources Department and civic officials is scheduled on Friday to decide the next course of action.
Kiran Deshmukh, Executive Engineer at the Khadakwasla Irrigation Division, said the water planning is being done based on the weather departmentтАЩs forecast. тАЬThe rainfall this year is expected to be lower.
Therefore, a 15 percent reduction in water usage has been suggested to ensure that drinking water remains available until July 31, 2026, and to avoid any water shortage,тАЭ he said.
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