Water Supply Crisis Hits Pimpri-Chinchwad; Residents Relying On Tankers Amid Shortage

Pimpri, 16th April 2025: For the past six years, residents of Pimpri-Chinchwad have been struggling with inadequate, irregular, and low-pressure water supply, especially during the summer months. With water often falling short, most housing societies across the city are now heavily dependent on tankers. The cost of this water is rising daily, but the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) claims there is little control over private water tanker services. This has left the residents of Pimpri-Chinchwad caught in a difficult situation.

The population of Pimpri-Chinchwad has now reached 2.7 million, leading to an increased demand for water. The PCMC draws 520 million liters per day (MLD) from the Pavana dam, 80 MLD from the Andra region, and 20 MLD from the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), totaling 620 MLD. However, around 40% of this water is lost due to leakage and theft, a problem that has been acknowledged by the administration for several years but remains unresolved.

For smaller housing societies, residents receive 135 liters per person per day, while larger societies are allotted 90 liters. To meet higher water requirements, it is mandatory for these societies to use treated water from sewage treatment plants. However, since the supply falls short of the standard 135 liters per person per day, residents have no option but to rely on water tankers, a situation they have been voicing concerns about.

Areas like Pimpri-Saudagar, Pimpri-Gurav, Ravet, Punawale, Wakad, Tathwade, Chikhali, and Moshi are heavily dependent on water tankers during the summer months. By the time February arrives, borewells in these regions dry up, leaving tankers as the only solution for water supply.

As the demand for water tankers increases, so does the cost of maintenance for housing societies. Officers of the societies are compelled to allocate additional funds to cover these costs. A tanker of 10,000 liters for general use costs between ₹1,200 to ₹1,500, while a tanker for drinking water is priced at ₹3,000. This additional financial burden is being borne by the residents.

Currently, the Pavana dam has 40.44% of its total water capacity, while the Andra dam holds 43.72%. Authorities have assured that the water in these reservoirs will last until July 15. However, with the rising temperatures, there is significant evaporation, leading to further water shortages. The Water Resources Department has urged citizens to use water sparingly and conserve as much as possible.