Now, treated water use mandatory for construction
The PMC on Tuesday issued a circular making it mandatory for all construction sites to use the treated water for construction activity in the city
PUNE The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Tuesday issued a circular making it mandatory for all construction sites to use the treated water for construction activity in the city instead of using underground or potable water.
The builders in the city have welcomed the usage of treated water generated through sewage treatment plants, however, they have pointed out some practical issues.
Suhas Merchant, former president, the Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India (Credai) said, “The municipal corporation’s intention is good, but the civic body needs to address a few problems. Practical and logistic issues like tanker availability, water quality, transport cost and storage at site among others need to be addressed.”
Water department head Aniruddha Pawaskar said, “In any new scheme, the initial phases have some practical issues. While making it mandatory, the PMCs approach would be positive and the civic body will address the practical problems faced by builders.”
Pawaskar added, “Currently the builders are hiring borewell water which is paid for by them. We are giving them treated water free of cost, but they are not ready to pay transport charges.The civic body has five to six times more capacity of treated water than the demand for construction activity. In future, when this becomes a routine, the PMC will ask tanker owners to give different colours to treated water tankers. Pune would be first city in the country which would be using treated water for construction activity.”
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Irrigation department not lifting treated water from Mundhwa Jackwell
The PMC erected Mundhwa Jackwell so that the irrigation department can lift water from here and use it for agricultural purposes. As per the agreement, PMC would give 6.5 TMC treated water per annum to irrigation department and they would give more water from Khadakwasla dam. But for last many years, the irrigation department has not been lifting this water for agriculture purpose. PMC water department head Aniruddha Pawaskar said, “Irrigation department is lifting almost fifty percentage water per annum. The civic body gives them water as per their demand, but it is true that they are not making demand for hundred percentage capacity.”