Pune: Water Shortage Looms as Dam Levels Drop, Irrigation Department Tells PMC to Use Water Judiciously
Pune is facing a potential water crisis as water levels in the four dams of the Khadakwasla project—Khadakwasla, Temghar, Panshet, and Varasgaon—plummet. These dams supply drinking water to Pune city and currently hold a collective storage of 15.55 TMC, which is only sufficient for the next two and a half months. The city requires an additional 2.5 TMC to meet its needs until the monsoon season begins.
The Irrigation Department has advised the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to use water judiciously to avoid a severe shortage in the coming months. Shweta Kurhade, executive engineer of the Khadakwasla Irrigation Division, emphasized the need for precautionary measures, urging PMC to reduce daily water usage by 200 million litres per day (MLD) from the current 1,650 MLD.
Pune’s water demand has surged due to rapid urbanization and the inclusion of 23 villages into the PMC, increasing the monthly requirement to over 2 TMC. Additionally, the Khadakwasla Dam supplies water to Daund municipality and nearby rural villages, while water is also released twice for rabi and summer crops, further straining resources.
The Water Resources Department has allocated a yearly water quota of 14.61 TMC for Pune, but the city’s actual consumption is around 21 TMC annually. This discrepancy highlights the urgent need for sustainable water management to avert a crisis.
