No water cuts for now but PMC worries how to manage current stock till end-August

PMC water dept’s Pawaskar further explained that the current water stock in all five dams supplying water to the city stands at 12.5 TMC

PUNE

The PMC has issued an advisory to save water and not waste it on washing vehicles and construction activities. (HT PHOTO)

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to defer water cuts for the time being and focus instead on preventive measures to save water in the coming days. The decision was taken Tuesday at a joint meeting of officials of the PMC and water resources department to review water- availability and management till August 31.

Among those present at the Tuesday meeting were PMC commissioner Vikram Kumar; chief superintendent of engineering of the water resources department of Pune region, Hanumant Gunale; executive engineer of Khadakwasla Dam, Vijay Patil; and PMC chief superintendent of water supply department, Aniruddha Pawaskar.

Pawaskar told reporters, “We discussed the water supply as per the availability in all the dams. The PMC and water resources department have come to the conclusion that there is no need to impose water cuts as of now. The PMC has decided to take measures to save water such as identifying leakages and pausing new water connections etc.”

Pawaskar further explained that the current water stock in all five dams supplying water to the city stands at 12.5 TMC. Whereas the Khadakwasla irrigation department requires 14 TMC of water for irrigation plus supply of drinking water to Pune district till the end of July.

“This year when rain is likely to be delayed on the one hand, there is already a gap of 1.5 TMC water. We are now discussing the issue of how to manage the shortfall of 1.5 TMC,” Pawaskar said.

Typically, the PMC plans for water supply till the end of July but following instructions from the state government last week to manage the existing water stock judiciously and avoid water shortage in the event of a delayed monsoon due to El Nino, the PMC has to now plan for water supply till the end of August this year. Given that the existing water stock in all five dams put together is 12.5 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) even as the region’s overall water requirement for irrigation and urban use purposes is 14 TMC, there is already a shortfall of 1.5 TMC. Having to plan for water supply till the end of August instead of the end of July in such a situation is going to be no mean feat.

Against this backdrop, the PMC has issued an advisory to save water and not waste it on washing vehicles and construction activities. The PMC has also issued an order to pause new water connections when provision of adequate water to the existing connections is proving to be difficult.