Pune: The civic administration has claimed to have repaired water supply and drainage pipelines at 100 locations across the city in recent months to prevent drinking-water contamination caused by leaks and cross-connections, with plans to take up work at 80 more sites in phases. Residents, however, said real test was not in repairs but in whether safe drinking water was finally reaching the taps.The move follows repeated complaints from residents about turbid water supply. The issue was also raised by corporators during the PMC general body meeting in July, with elected representatives linking leaking water and sewage pipelines to public health concerns.According to officials from PMC water supply department, areas reporting major problems included Hadapsar, Kondhwa, Shivajinagar, Gokhalenagar, Vishrantwadi and several peripheral localities.The officials said field teams inspected complaint sites and carried out repairs, including replacing damaged pipelines, fixing valves and redesigning points where water and sewage lines intersect. “Work has been completed in many areas, but several major projects are still pending. Significant repairs are planned on Sinhagad Road and in Hadapsar. Most issues stem from aging and leaking water and drainage pipelines,” an official said.But for residents, the assurances sounded all too familiar. In Vishrantwadi, resident Aniket Rathod said contaminated water continued to be a recurring nightmare. “Whenever we complain, we are told the pipelines are old or damaged. Residents are tired of hearing the same explanations. The administration must conduct comprehensive inspections and permanently eliminate the risk of contamination,” he said.The concerns were equally strong in newly merged areas. Anand Kolte, a resident of Manjari, said the quality of water supply remains inconsistent. “Sometimes the water is muddy, sometimes it carries a foul smell. There is no reliability in the supply. Citizens deserve regular quality checks and transparency about the water reaching their homes,” he said.The corporators, however, said more extensive intervention was needed. Former mayor and Hadapsar corporator Vaishali Bankar said sewage mixing with drinking water remained a persistent problem in her ward. “We expect the administration to come out with a comprehensive plan to address the issue,” she said.Echoing similar concerns, Yerawada corporator Ashwini Landge questioned the effectiveness of investments made in water infrastructure. “Despite spending substantial amounts on water projects, citizens are still struggling to get clean water. We expect far greater improvements in daily supply and quality,” Landge said.Gokhalenagar activist Pravin Dongre said residents had staged protests against contaminated water supply and urged the administration to ensure safe drinking water and prevent future contamination. PMC officials said efforts to identify and rectify vulnerable spots would continue in the coming months.
