Pune: PMC Plans Digital Monitoring of Private STPs in Housing Societies to Curb Water Pollution
Reported by Mubarak Ansari
Pune, 28th February 2026: As part of its broader push to reduce urban pollution and strengthen wastewater management, the Pune Municipal Corporation is preparing to introduce real-time digital monitoring of private sewage treatment plants (STPs) installed in housing societies across the city. The civic body is considering installing sensor-based systems on these STPs to centrally track their functioning and water treatment performance.
Additional Municipal Commissioner Prithviraj B. P. said the proposed sensor system will allow the civic administration to verify whether STPs are operational and whether sewage is being properly treated, with live data available at a central control room.
The move follows the PMC’s earlier decision to mandate air quality sensors at construction sites as part of its pollution control measures. Officials said similar technological oversight is now being extended to wastewater treatment, amid rising concerns over untreated sewage entering drains and riverbeds.
According to the civic administration, more than 750 private STPs are currently operational in Pune. Under prevailing development control rules, housing societies with more than 100 flats are required to install sewage treatment plants. However, the PMC has repeatedly received complaints and raised concerns that many STPs, though installed, are either not operated regularly, poorly maintained, or fail to meet prescribed treatment standards.
To address this gap, the PMC is exploring the installation of sensor systems that will monitor key parameters such as water flow, treatment status and quality of treated water. Once implemented, these private STPs will be digitally linked to the municipal monitoring mechanism, enabling continuous oversight.
Officials said the initiative also aligns with the city’s long-term water reuse and pollution reduction goals. Several large-scale sewage treatment projects are currently underway in Pune under the AMRUT scheme, with five major projects expected to become fully operational in the coming months. The proposed monitoring of private STPs is seen as a complementary step to ensure decentralised wastewater treatment systems function effectively.
The civic body acknowledged that enforcing compliance has been a challenge so far, given the scale of private STPs spread across the city. Untreated or partially treated sewage discharged into nullahs and rivers poses a significant risk of water pollution, making technological intervention necessary, officials said.
The PMC is now working on finalising the framework for sensor installation, including cost estimates and implementation timelines. As per the initial plan, housing societies will be required to bear the cost of installing the sensors on their STPs.
“The sensor system will provide real-time data on water flow, treatment processes and output quality from STPs. This will make it easier to take action against societies violating norms and will also promote water reuse while helping curb pollution in rivers and streams,” Prithviraj B. P. said.
Civic officials indicated that once the policy is finalised, detailed guidelines will be issued to housing societies, marking a significant shift towards technology-driven environmental regulation in the city.
