Pune: The PMC on Friday ruled out any supply cut now but it would weigh other options to save water, two days after the irrigation department’s request to reduce its consumption because of the possible poor monsoon this year.“Water cuts will not be imposed in the city. Many areas are already facing scarcity. The civic body has the responsibility to provide adequate water to people. The water is lifted according to the demand and planning,” said Shrinath Bhimale, the chairman of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC)’s standing committee.The irrigation department wrote to the PMC, Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation as well as the Wagholi water supply scheme to reduce its daily water usage by 15%, citing the potential impact of El Niño phenomenon and the likelihood of deficit rainfall during the upcoming monsoon. Against this backdrop, elected members of the PMC opposed any water cuts in civic areas.Four dams catering to the city currently hold approximately 13.2 TMC (45% of the capacity) of water — nearly 1 TMC more than the last year’s stock of 12 TMC. Irrigation department officials stressed that judicious use of water was mandatory despite this surplus, given the forecast.A senior official of the PMC’s water department said, “The demand for water goes up during summer. Reducing its consumption will be a challenge now. We will check how the use of water can be reduced without imposing cuts on citizens.”He said the evaporation of water increases during summer. Steps would be taken to bring it down, the official said. Even water leakages could be plugged to save water, he added.The irrigation department emphasised on the need to sustain with the existing water stock till the end of Aug instead of July 31. Officials stressed that maintaining adequate water in dams was crucial even after the initial arrival of monsoon.
