Pune: PMC to Launch Leak Detection Squad as City Loses 40% of Water Supply
Pune, 18th August 2025: In a bid to curb massive water losses, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to deploy a dedicated “leak detection squad” from next month.
According to civic officials, PMC draws about 20 TMC of water annually, but nearly 40 percent of it never reaches consumers due to evaporation, transmission losses, and leakages in the supply network.
“The new team will inspect different areas to identify and plug leakages in the distribution system. We are also coordinating with the irrigation department to tackle seepage at the dam level,” said Nandkishor Jagtap, head of PMC’s water supply department.
While welcoming the move, civic activists argued that focusing only on leakages is not enough. They pointed out that the city is also grappling with nearly three lakh illegal water connections, which further strain the system.
“Unless PMC takes strong action against unauthorized connections, water management will remain ineffective. For years, the issue has been pushed under the carpet due to political influence and vested interests,” said activist Vivek Velankar of Sajag Nagrik Manch.
Officials confirmed that a joint meeting was recently held with the irrigation department to discuss increasing the city’s water quota. At the meeting, a joint action committee was proposed, with directives to address both wastage and unauthorized usage.
Activists, however, remain skeptical. “The civic body has made promises in the past about cracking down on illegal connections, but ground reality has not changed,” Velankar added.
With summer approaching, citizens and experts alike stress that plugging leakages and curbing unauthorized use must go hand in hand to ensure efficient use of Pune’s limited water resources.
