Pune: PMC to Penalise Residents for Misusing Drinking Water, Including for Gardening, Road Cleaning, and Vehicle Washing Amidst Shortage
Pune: In response to the growing water crisis in the city, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has launched a strict crackdown on the misuse of drinking water. With around 1.5 lakh residents currently depending on tankers for their daily needs, the civic body is determined to curb wastage and unauthorized usage.
Several housing societies have been found wasting water due to the absence of automatic taps, leading to tank overflows. Moreover, potable water is reportedly being used for gardening, road cleaning, and washing vehicles, including at commercial car wash centres.
Taking serious note of the issue, Nandkishore Jagtap, head of PMC’s water supply department, instructed junior engineers on Monday to act against violators. “If water wastage is observed, a notice should be issued first. If the situation persists, penal action must follow. In cases of continued misuse, the water connection should be disconnected,” he said.
Prasana Joshi, superintendent engineer of the department, confirmed that a ₹500 fine is imposed for using drinking water for non-essential purposes. Engineers have been instructed to visit affected areas and take direct action against offenders.
Water Shortage Worsens in Newly Merged Villages
A significant portion of the water crisis is being felt in the 34 villages recently merged into PMC limits. These areas lack an independent and efficient water supply network, resulting in a heavy reliance on tankers. Of the 1,400 tanker trips made daily by PMC, approximately 1,050 serve these new regions, while just 350 are designated for the older parts of the city.
Despite the PMC offering tanker water free of cost, demand far exceeds supply. This shortfall has led to the rise of a private tanker industry, with 250 to 300 tankers operating daily. These private tankers draw water from municipal sources and sell it at rates between ₹1,500 and ₹1,800 per 10,000 litres. Officials say private tanker trips now exceed four lakh annually.
An official stated that the daily water demand from the newly merged villages is around 300 million litres (MLD), of which PMC can only provide 100 MLD. The remaining 200 MLD is supplied through private tankers.
“In 2021, PMC’s expenditure on tankers was ₹21 crore. Today, it has risen to ₹50 crore,” the official added.
Supply Gap and Infrastructure Challenges
PMC currently supplies about 1,750 MLD of water daily across Pune, but the city requires 20.60 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) annually, while only 14.62 TMC is available. This gap is worsened by nearly 35% leakage due to ageing infrastructure.
Officials acknowledge a mismatch between available water and actual delivery. A unified water supply scheme is in the pipeline to address this imbalance. However, an urgent government approval for an additional 5 TMC — crucial for the newly incorporated villages — is still awaited.
