Pune, 18 April 2026: Even as parts of Pune begin facing water shortages as early as February, rainwater harvesting systems, one of the most effective solutions to improve groundwater levels, are not being taken seriously by many cooperative housing societies.
While the civic body has made such systems mandatory for construction projects approved after 2006, their actual use remains inconsistent. In many cases, societies install these systems only to comply with regulations or avail property tax rebates, without ensuring their long-term functionality.
Before granting completion certificates, PMC building department inspects rainwater harvesting setups in new projects. However, once the property is handed over to housing societies, regular monitoring becomes almost non-existent.
Some societies actively maintain these systems by cleaning filters and ensuring groundwater recharge through borewells, helping them avoid water shortages for several months.
But many others neglect maintenance, allowing systems to fall into disrepair while depending heavily on water tankers throughout the year.
Housing societies with rainwater harvesting, solar panels, and waste management systems are eligible for property tax rebates of up to 5–10%. However, officials admit that verification is largely limited to the initial stage when the project is set up.
After that, there is little follow-up to check whether these systems are functional. This loophole allows thousands of societies to continue receiving tax benefits without actually using or maintaining the infrastructure.
As per 2025–26 data, 766 societies have registered rainwater harvesting projects, while 4,811 beneficiaries are availing tax rebates linked to such systems.
A senior official from the PMC building department acknowledged the issue, citing manpower shortages as a key constraint.
“Rainwater harvesting systems are inspected before issuing completion certificates. However, due to limited staff, regular inspections are difficult. Housing societies must take responsibility for maintaining these systems. We will also focus on increasing public awareness,” said Pravin Shende, Superintendent Engineer, Building Department.
With growing demand for water and declining groundwater levels, experts warn that neglecting rainwater harvesting could worsen Pune’s water crisis.
Strengthening monitoring mechanisms and ensuring accountability may be crucial to making these systems truly effective rather than just a compliance formality.
