Pune Takes a Tech Leap Underground: PMC to Map Every Well and Handpump in First-Ever Digital Groundwater Census

Pune, 18th November 2025: What lies beneath Pune’s bustling streets may soon be understood better than ever before. In a landmark step toward safeguarding the city’s hidden water lifelines, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has approved a Rs 83.75-lakh GIS-based project to digitally map every well and handpump within municipal limits. The initiative marks the city’s first systematic attempt to scientifically track its vast but largely undocumented groundwater network.

Even today, despite a sprawling municipal water supply system, several pockets of Pune routinely struggle with inconsistent distribution. This forces thousands of families, businesses, and institutions to turn to wells and handpumps as dependable backup sources.

Recognising this growing dependence, PMC is preparing a detailed, citywide digital inventory. The upcoming GIS survey will record the exact location, depth, usage, condition, and recharge patterns of wells and handpumps—offering unprecedented insight into how Pune draws from and relies on its underground reserves. Officials say the mapping will also reveal areas where groundwater extraction is unusually high or potentially unsustainable.

According to the PMC Officials, the new database will become a crucial tool for future decision-making. “With precise GIS data, we’ll be able to monitor extraction, design corrective measures, and respond swiftly during scarcity or emergencies,” officials said.

The project will be executed by the Science and Technology Park, which will also train PMC staff to handle GIS systems and maintain the database long-term. The survey will cover all registered wells along with nearly 5,000 handpumps, building Pune’s first complete digital groundwater atlas.

Officials believe the initiative will transform how the city plans conservation, regulates extraction, and ensures sustainable water use in the years ahead.