Pune to get five hours of water once-a-day from Monday

PUNE: Brace for once-a-day water for five hours from Monday instead of the earlier plan for curtailed supply after Diwali.
Mayor Mukta Tilak on Tuesday said the new timetable will ensure that citizens get adequate water and the move will bring uniform distribution across the city.

Elected members and citizens have been concerned about erratic water supply where some areas get water for just an hour and others for more than eight hours. Complaints about areas getting water twice a day and others only once also abound.

Municipal commissioner Saurabh Rao said there will be no reduction in the quantity of the water supplied to citizens. “We have made changes in the zoning for water distribution so that pressure is adequately high. Even if the number of hours are reduced, it will not adversely impact overall supply in the city,” he said.

The water cut is the outcome of the state government’s decision to reduce the city’s supply by 200 MLD. The canal committee meeting in Mumbai attended by guardian minister Girish Bapat and water resources minister Girish Mahajan earlier this month ordered the reduction from 1350 MLD per day to 1150 MLD.

The closed pipeline project between Parvati pumping station and Cantonment pumping station that will reduce water losses will be ready by November 10. “The city will save round 100 MLD to 150 MLD per day. It will compensate for the reduction in supply,” Rao added.

Civic activists said the water cut is not justifiable. Sajag Nagrik Manch, a citizens’ group, there are issues about the actual need of water for agriculture.

A statement from the group said the civic body has built the Mundhwa jackwell project by spending around Rs 100 crore to supply 550MLD treated sewage for irrigation.

After its wall breached in September, the Mutha right bank canal was not used for irrigation in October and water available at Mundhwa jackwell was the only source of irrigation.

“A record from October 1 to 20 shows that only 370 MLD water was lifted for irrigation. Mundhwa jackwell can take care of this need so there is no need to reduce Pune’s water supply,” said Vivek Velankar of the manch.

Citizens said the water cut is a failure of the ruling party and the civic administration. “The dams have adequate water. They specifically provide water to Pune. If this water is being used for other reasons, we must know,” Krunal Jadhav, a citizen, said.

Vishwesh Joshi said the civic administration should assess the water distribution system for flaws. “Despite good rainfall, citizens have to face water cuts. The civic administration must find out what is wrong,” he said.