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25 complaints of low water pressure after PMC’s first Thursday shutdown
The civic body plans to improve the restoration process and ensure water reaches neighbourhoods more efficiently after the weekly closure
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The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) received up to 25 complaints of low water pressure on Friday morning, a day after it began a weekly, citywide water supply shutdown every Thursday. The civic body attributed the complaints to pipelines emptying during the shutdown and said it would improve arrangements from next week to prevent a recurrence.
The weekly shutdown came into effect on October 15 as part of the PMC’s move to conserve water amid concerns over below-normal rainfall and falling reservoir storage. PMC officials said the Thursday shutdown affected water flow through distribution lines, making it difficult to restore normal pressure immediately when supply resumed.
The civic body plans to improve the restoration process and ensure water reaches neighbourhoods more efficiently after the weekly closure.
Nandkishore Jagtap, head of the PMC Water Supply Department, said there were no complaints on Thursday, but they received complaints on Friday morning. “We have received 25 complaints till morning from all five zones of PMC. The PMC is reviewing the arrangements before the next Thursday shutdown to reduce disruption and improve water pressure when supply resumes,” he said.
According to officials, low-pressure complaints have also been reported in areas such as Hadapsar and Mohammadwadi. Mundhwa and Vishrantwadi residents have also flagged problems with restoring normal supply after shutdowns.
The shutdown came into effect after the state government has directed local bodies to reduce water consumption by at least 10% from October 16 and ensure that available stocks last through August 31, 2027.
The issue was discussed at the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) General Body meeting on Friday, where elected members demanded a sustainable solution to prevent recurring water supply disruptions.
Members pointed out that in some areas, it takes two to three days for water supply to return to normal even after a one-day shutdown.
Mayor Manjusha Nagpure said the water supply department must take responsibility for ensuring an adequate and regular supply across the city. She said that even after the scheduled shutdown ends, several areas receive water at low pressure, while some take a couple of days for supply to normalise.
She directed the department to take corrective measures to ensure that water supply is restored promptly and uniformly across the city after every shutdown.
