Solving Punes Water Problem

The Indian monsoon, which is the economic lifeline of India, has almost always started on the 7th of June in Maharashtra. However, the effects of climate change have started showing their impact.  Over the last few years ,  the monsoon pattern has changed dramatically, and is getting delayed by weeks.

The response by the authorities has always been :

1. Reduce city water supply
2. Restrict water for Irrigation
3. Appeal to citizens for water conservation

However, the moment monsoon rains hit our city, all this is forgotten. The Pune Municipal Corporation has no policy, and citizens do not have time to ensure that policies can be developed to handle this situation, either tactically or strategically.

 

Water crisis in Pune is mainly due to :

1. Poor water management – Housing societies in fringe areas as well as newly constructed colonies get less than adequate water from the PMC, thereby increasing their dependency on water tankers.
2. Water loss of 40% from source to our home - This is mainly due to leaking old pipes, which, in some cases, are up to 50 years old.
3. Unequal water distribution – Per capita water supply ranging from 300 litres per to about 50 litres as against the legislated 135 litres.
4. Poor implementation of Rain Water Harvesting policy – The RWH policy came in to force in 2009  for all the new constructions as a mandatory arrangement. For old constructions, a 5 % property tax rebate was offered for those who implemented RWH systems.  
5. No water conservation policy - people wash their cars every day without realising that their ability to pay for water also means there is someone who is being deprived of their drinking water.
6. No additional water catchment area to increase water availability for the city – Pune city population is about 4 million. The existing catchment areas of Dams are inadequate to meet the demands of rising population, commercial & industrial activities & agriculture sector.

Short Term Measures:

PMC must plan & allocate funds to replacement old pipes. Infrastructure needs to be planned to equalise water supply to all parts of the city. All new constructions must get adequate water connection before occupation by residents. Citizens must be taken in to confidence while planning & executing these measures. Ward-wise efforts need to be made to educate citizens about rainwater harvesting and water conservation.

Strict checks must be undertaken by CREDAI Pune & its members for proper implementation of RWH systems in the new constructions

Long Term Measures:

The MIDC does not permit industrial units on their land to implement RWH systems. Industry water demands are met by the MIDC, which is a revenue generator. If industrial units are permitted to implement RWH systems to meet majority of their water demand, large quantity of water will be available for agriculture as well as for domestic needs. The PMC needs to pass legislation with the State Government  to make this possible.

Water conservation is another issue which needs to looked at. Pune city has more than 25 lac vehicles. 5 litres water, on average, are used daily for cleaning one vehicle. This consumes 125 lac litres of water every day, a wastage which needs to be stopped. This water can meet daily needs of more than 100,000 people. Pune rivers  must be cleaned by putting a ban on diverting untreated domestic sewage as well as industrial effluents. Water supply should be metered & charged accordingly to meet the water treatment & distribution expenses.

Unless citizens participate in this movement, there will be no results. We will keep facing growing water shortages, and face these same issues every single year until it reaches a crisis point. If we act now, we can set actions in motion to ensure that we can control this issue within the next decade.