Pune : PMC may plan once a week water cut to curb water crisis
Pune: Pune Municipal Corporation is preparing for a possible water supply cut once a week in Pune city as rainfall is predicted to be less this year. The corporation has started planning the water supply until August 31 and is taking necessary measures to ensure adequate water storage in the Khadakwasla dam chain.
Although sufficient water storage is available, the city is likely to face one day of water shortage in a week. The decision will be taken after a meeting of the canal committee. In the meantime, the water supply of the entire city will be shut down on Thursday for repair work in various water treatment centers and tanks of the Municipal Corporation. Water will be supplied late and with low pressure on Friday morning.
The Pune Municipal Corporation has been ordered to plan the available water storage in view of the forecast of normal monsoon and the possibility of El Nino. Water planning will be done till August 31 this year, instead of the usual date of July 15. The municipal corporation has started preparations for the same, and soon there is a possibility that water reduction will be implemented for one day a week in the city. The decision is likely to be sealed in the canal committee meeting scheduled for next Wednesday (April 26).
According to the Indian Meteorological Department, this year’s rainfall is expected to be normal. However, the second half of the monsoon, which is considered unfavorable for the monsoon, is also likely to be active. Therefore, water planning is being done to ensure enough drinking water is available to the city in case of decreased rainfall. The municipality is planning the water supply in accordance with the government’s orders.
The head of the Water Supply Department PMC, Aniruddha Pawaskar, has stated that currently, they are not planning any water cuts on a weekly basis. Any decision made in the future will be based on the demand for water and the water available in dams.
