Pune: Two weeks after rolling out a once-a-week water supply cut, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is now preparing for the next phase of its conservation drive — surprise checks and penalties for those found using potable water for non-essential purposes.The crackdown will target activities like vehicle washing, swimming pool usage and gardening, as the city grapples with shrinking water reserves and growing pressure on PMC to deepen the existing 10% water cut to 20%. “The implementation of Thursday cuts started on Oct 15. An advisory on usage of water was issued the same day. Two weeks were given to create awareness on avoiding use of drinking water for non-essential purposes. Now the regular checks will begin,” a civic official said.Officials stressed that the move was not meant to be punitive but preventive. “We are not targeting anyone. We want residents to use water responsibly. With about 10 months till the next monsoon, water must be used wisely to avoid a crisis,” the official said.PMC has already begun pushing water conservation messages through social media and has directed swimming pool operators to rely on treated water instead of potable water. Vehicle washing centres, too, are expected to avoid using drinking water. “PMC supplies treated water through its distribution network. The citizens will have to play a key role in avoiding water wastage,” another official said.The scrutiny may soon extend to housing societies too. Civic teams are planning inspections of sewage treatment plants (STPs) to ensure treated water is being recycled for gardening and other non-potable uses. “The societies are expected to use treated water for gardening and other such purposes. Societies with defunct STPs will be served notices. They are also expected to plug the leaking pipes and avoid wastage of water within their premises,” the official said.Even PMC’s own departments are tightening their belts. The garden department has directed all zonal offices to use only treated water for gardening and cleaning, with implementation expected to begin immediately.The urgency stems from a drop in water reserves. According to the irrigation department, the four dams supplying water to the city currently hold 24 TMC of water, significantly lower than the 28.5 TMC available during the same period last year. Continuous releases for both urban and rural needs have widened the deficit, raising concerns over water availability until the next monsoon.Citizens have urged PMC to take stronger steps to curb water losses. Sandip Joshi, a Satara Road resident, said, “It’s good that PMC has decided to step up monitoring of drinking water use, but what about its commitment to plug leaks in distribution lines? It should designate at least one water zone with zero leakage.”Ajay Mujumdar, a Vishrantwadi resident, said, “PMC must closely monitor tanker operations, especially those filled at PMC water points. The use of tanker water at construction sites should be stopped.”
