Pune: Pimpri-Chinchwad is grappling with a significant water crisis as the municipal corporation struggles to provide a consistent water supply to its growing population.
For the past five years, residents have been receiving water only every other day, a situation compounded by a staggering 40% water leakage rate. Despite the pressing issue, the administration has not conducted a water audit to address the problem.
The city, which relies on water from the Pavana and Andra dams, draws a total of 615 million liters daily. However, nearly half of this supply is lost due to leakage and theft, with the administration acknowledging the issue but failing to implement effective measures.
Municipal services such as schools, buildings, and gardens are not billed for their water usage, and unauthorized tap connections in slums further exacerbate the leakage.
Efforts are being made to improve water management, with 90 out of 102 water tanks now equipped with water meters. The installation of the remaining meters is expected soon, enabling a thorough review and audit of water usage and losses.
The city's rapid population growth, now at 2.7 million, has intensified the demand for water. Projects intended to address this, such as the Pavana closed water pipeline and the Andra-Bhama Askhed dam water supply, are progressing slowly, with significant delays hampering their effectiveness.
Newly added areas are also experiencing disrupted water supply due to technical issues. Efforts to mitigate leakage by providing a 24-hour supply in certain areas have shown some success but are limited by low water storage.
Municipal Commissioner Shekhar Singh has announced plans to install Smart City water meters to further address the leakage problem.
