60 MLD water leaking from old pipeline network in Pune

In addition to the old water pipelines, the PMC has also begun investigating breaches in the water pipelines to some of the oldest overhead tanks located in the central parts of the city

An internal investigation conducted by the water supply department of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has found a leakage of 60 MLD water from the over 50 years’ old network of 40 km of pipelines. The investigation has also found four spots from where over 1 crore litres of water is found to be wasted due to the leakage. The probe will not be extended to all corners of the city and a professional agency will be appointed to find leakages elsewhere after which a comprehensive policy will be formulated.

An internal investigation conducted by the water supply department of the PMC has found a leakage of 60 MLD water from the over 50 years’ old network of 40 km of pipelines (HT FILE PHOTO)

Sameer Maniyar, a social activist from Hadapsar, said that the area residents are completely dependent on the PMC water supply. “It is our experience that the citizens here are prone to frequent water contamination and resultant diseases. The culprits, it turns out, are the aged and decayed water pipes of the PMC. The water pipeline distribution system is in bad condition and poses a ‘very high risk’ of water contamination. We demand that new water pipelines are laid by replacing the old ones at the earliest.”

Head of the water supply department of the PMC, Aniruddha Pawaskar, said, “We are in the process of replacing old pipes but it will take some time. Leakages are being detected and necessary steps are being taken to make those pipelines contamination-proof.”

In addition to the old water pipelines, the PMC has also begun investigating breaches in the water pipelines to some of the oldest overhead tanks located in the central parts of the city. The PMC has floated tenders seeking appointment of a consultant to prepare a detailed report on such leakages. The PMC has found the leakages with the help of data from the flow meters it had installed in different supply junctions. The next phase of studying water pipeline leakages will be carried out in the hilltop areas of Parvati, Lullanagar, Hadapsar, Wadgaon, Warje and areas dotted with some of the PMC’s old water storage tanks.