Pune Water Crisis? Massive Leak on East Street Continues for Over a Year, Residents Seek Action
Reported by Shoaib Tadvi
Camp, 1st July 2026: A continuous leak from a drinking water tank near the East Street–General Thimmayya Road junction has allegedly resulted in the wastage of thousands of litres of treated drinking water every day for more than a year, triggering outrage among Pune Cantonment residents. They have demanded immediate repairs, a high-level inquiry, and the registration of an FIR against those responsible for the prolonged negligence.
Residents alleged that despite repeated complaints to the authorities, the leaking tank has remained unrepaired, allowing potable water to flow continuously onto the road. The issue has become more concerning as several parts of Pune continue to experience periodic water shortages and increasing dependence on water tankers.
According to residents, the problem is compounded by water wastage during tanker operations in the area. They claimed that several tankers supplying drinking water are seen with water overflowing or spilling onto the road while being filled, parked, or transported, leading to further loss of a precious resource.
Residents pointed out that even a small leak can result in significant water loss over time. A leak of just one litre per minute wastes approximately 525,600 litres of drinking water in a year, while a leak of five litres per minute results in more than 2.6 million litres annually. They argued that if the leakage from the East Street tank has continued uninterrupted for over a year, the cumulative wastage could amount to several lakh, or even millions, of litres of treated drinking water.
The overflowing water has also created slippery and waterlogged patches on the road, causing inconvenience to pedestrians and motorists while raising concerns about the management of public water resources.
Residents have urged the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to immediately repair the leaking tank, conduct a detailed technical inspection to determine why the issue remained unresolved for such a long period, fix accountability for the loss of public resources, and register an FIR against any officials or contractors found responsible for the alleged negligence.
Responding to the allegations regarding water tankers, a PMC official said the civic body’s tankers are properly secured.
“You can see that our PMC tankers are properly packed and covered, so I don’t think there is any water flowing from our PMC tankers. As far as private tankers are concerned, we have already issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), and they are expected to follow those guidelines,” the official said.
However, residents have urged the civic administration to go beyond issuing guidelines and ensure strict monitoring of both municipal and private water tankers to prevent avoidable water loss during filling and transportation.
Citizens said the incident underscores the urgent need for greater accountability in water management, particularly at a time when treated drinking water is becoming an increasingly scarce and valuable resource. They have called on the civic administration to act swiftly, prevent further wastage, and ensure that those responsible for the prolonged leak are held accountable.
