Pune Water Situation : Khadakwasla at 61%, Ujani Reservoir Depleted – Challenges for Water Resources Department

The Khadakwasla, Panshet, Temghar and Varasgaon dams, which supply water to Pune, have about 61 percent of water storage remaining till the end of January. The water storage in Ujani/Bhima Dam, which supplies water to Solapur district, has reached zero percent.

In 2023, many places in Maharashtra, including Pune city, received heavy rains. Still, compared to 2022, there was not sufficient, satisfactory rain. As a result, most of the dams in the state are not filled to their full capacity. Therefore, the water resources department will have to meet the challenge of providing supply water. The situation is worst in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar. The water storage in the dams providing water to Nashik and Vidarbha has also reached low levels.

1.19 TMC of water storage is there currently in Khadakwasla Dam, 8.30 TMC in Panshet, 8.02 TMC in Varasgaon and 0.48 TMC in Temghar i.e. there is a total of 17.99 TMC (61.77 percent) water storage in the 4 dams supplying water to Pune till January 2024. At the end of January 2023, these dams had a total of 21.18 TMC i.e. 72.62 percent water storage.

The entire Ujani/Bhima dam was filled up to 60 per cent during the monsoon season in 2023. Now, at the end of January 2024, the water storage in Ujani has reached zero.