Pune: The four dams in the Khadakwasla circle now hold 14 TMC of water — 1.2 TMC more than 12.9 TMC recorded on April 1 last year — a surplus that effectively stretches Pune’s water security by nearly a month. Irrigation department officials, however, cautioned against complacency, with PMC officials admitting that the city needed at least 7-8 TMC water till July-end.The irrigation officials said the stock in all the four dams supplying water to the city were being closely monitored despite the situation being “fairly decent”. An official said, “A weekly review of water storage has been planned to assess the situation on a real-time basis.”As per the current plan, the irrigation department would continue releasing water for agricultural use till May-end. “The initial release, scheduled till April-end, will cater to summer crops. Thereafter, water will be released primarily to meet drinking water requirements in the rural parts. Pune city will continue to receive its water supply without any curtailment,” the official said.The four dams — Khadakwasla, Temghar, Varasgaon and Panshet — together have a full storage capacity of 29.15 TMC. At the end of the previous monsoon season, all dams were filled to capacity. “The dams have one TMC more water compared to last year. Despite this, we urge all stakeholders, including PMC, to use water judiciously amid concerns about the possible impact of the El Niño phenomenon,” the official said.Civic officials said, as last year, no water cuts were planned during this summer too. Nandkishor Jagtap, head of PMC water supply department, said the civic body was taking steps to reduce water wastage and improve efficiency. “Newly constructed overhead water tanks are being commissioned to strengthen distribution, and an equitable water supply project is planned for zones where the basic infrastructure is already in place,” he said.According to the PMC officials, the city consumes approximately 1.5 TMC of water every month. “The city will need around 7-8 TMC of water till July, after which the remaining stock can be used for supply to the rural areas,” a civic official said.The officials stressed that the irrigation department should aim to store more water during the monsoon, especially in view of possible changes in rainfall patterns.
