Pune: Municipal Authorities Seek Increased Water Allocation From Water Resources Dept Amid Rising Demand
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The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is pressing for an increase in its water quota for the upcoming year due to surging demands driven by population growth and infrastructural challenges. PMC has proposed a water budget of 21.48 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) for 2024-25, a notable increase from the current allocation of 12.82 TMC.
In recent years, Pune’s population has been steadily rising, reaching 5,208,444 in 2019 and continuing to grow at a rate of 2% annually. This growth includes new additions from 34 merged villages, now totaling 1,811,340 residents. Among these, 11 villages alone account for 800,313 people, receiving 120 liters per capita per day (LPCD). The remaining villages, with 1,011,026 inhabitants, are supplied via tankers and less developed pipelines at a rate of 70 LPCD.
Water consumption in Pune rose from 21.01 TMC in 2022-23 to 21.18 TMC in 2023-24, underscoring the need for expanded resources. The PMC’s demand for 21.48 TMC is also motivated by addressing significant water leakage issues, which account for 35% of the total supply, and catering to a 5% floating population.
Municipal Commissioner Dr. Rajendra Bhosale emphasized the criticality of securing adequate water supplies to meet the city’s needs, highlighting the inclusion of employment and population data from newly merged villages in their budgetary considerations.
The water resources department of Pune division is now reviewing the PMC’s proposal, which includes provisions for both domestic and non-domestic water use, the latter having grown to 25.98 million liters per day (MLD) and expected to increase by 2% annually.
As Pune anticipates further urban expansion and demographic shifts, the decision on water allocation for the upcoming fiscal year remains important to sustain the city’s development and quality of life.
