Sewage in Tap Water: Pune Municipal Corporation Clears Rs 20 Crore for Urgent Pipeline Repairs

Pune, 21st January 2026: After a surge in complaints about sewage-contaminated drinking water in several parts of the city, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has approved urgent works worth over ₹20 crore to lay separate water supply and drainage pipelines in affected areas.

The PMC’s Standing Committee and General Body have cleared an allocation of ₹20.20 crore under the emergency expenditure category to address the issue on priority. The move comes after reports from Indore and parts of Gujarat, where deaths were linked to contaminated water, prompted civic authorities to act swiftly.

According to the water supply department, a citywide survey was launched to identify areas where drainage water was mixing with potable water. The survey found alarming instances in Kondhwa, Shivneri Nagar, Bhagyoday Nagar, parts of Hadapsar, Santosh Nagar in Katraj, and Anjani Nagar, where sewage was seeping into drinking water lines at several locations.

Water supply department chief Nandkumar Jagtap said repair work has already begun in the affected pockets. “In some areas, old and damaged pipelines have led to sewage entering the water supply. We are replacing and separating the lines to prevent further contamination,” he said.

Most complaints from old villages
The survey also revealed that the highest number of complaints have come from 23 old villages now within the PMC limits. These areas have dense populations, narrow lanes and outdated infrastructure. In many localities, ageing water pipelines run deeper underground, while drainage lines have been laid closer to the surface. Damage caused by rodents allows sewage to seep into the soil, eventually reaching water pipes that have become weak and corroded over time.

In some congested areas, drinking water lines were earlier routed through drainage chambers due to lack of space. These pipelines will now be removed and realigned outside the sewage network. The civic body said several drainage lines will also need major repairs as part of the project.

PMC officials said the works will be taken up on a war footing to ensure that residents get safe and clean drinking water and to prevent any public health crisis in the coming weeks.