Pune Citizens to Get Metered Water Supply from March 2026, Announces Municipal Commissioner
Pune Citizens to Get Metered Water Supply from March 2026, Announces Municipal Commissioner
Pune: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has completed 75% of its ‘Equitable Water Supply Scheme,’ aimed at providing uniform and adequately pressurized water to all city residents. The remaining work is set to be completed by December 2025, following which metered water billing will commence from March 2026, announced Municipal Commissioner Dr. Rajendra Bhosale.
Dr. Bhosale presented the ₹12,618 crore municipal budget for the financial year 2025-26 before the Standing Committee on Tuesday. Addressing the media, he stated that PMC has initiated the scheme to ensure an equitable water supply across all city areas. The project has already received funding for maintenance and repairs over the next 10 years.
Tenders worth ₹2,048 crore were issued for the project, of which ₹1,471 crore has been utilized. The plan is to complete all remaining work by December 2025. The installation of water meters is progressing in various parts of the city, with work completed in 62 out of 141 designated water supply zones. The entire project is expected to be finalized by January 2026, and from March 2026, residents will receive metered water bills from PMC.
To enhance monitoring and maintenance, PMC is employing advanced technology to detect leakages in the water supply system. Robotic machines are being used for pipeline inspections to identify leaks and unauthorized connections. A provision of ₹50 lakh has been allocated in the 2025-26 budget for this purpose.
Outstanding Water Bills Reach ₹727 Crore
As of January 2025, ₹102 crore had been collected from residents receiving metered water. However, unpaid water bills have accumulated to ₹727.96 crore due to issues like faulty meters, duplicate billing, and unpaid dues from slum areas. PMC has been conducting Lok Adalat sessions to recover dues, successfully collecting ₹1.13 crore in the financial year 2023-24.
Water Supply Expansion to Newly Merged Villages
PMC has proposed constructing a water purification plant to provide clean drinking water to newly merged villages within its jurisdiction. Additionally, efforts are underway to implement the Equitable Water Supply Scheme in these areas. If the state government allocates funds for the project, the construction of water storage tanks will begin immediately, Dr. Bhosale stated.
