Understanding Water Shortage in Pune: Causes and Consequences

The water shortage in Pune is a situation that has alarmed residents of the city and beyond, with fears of the widespread impact on daily life that may arise. There are several reasons behind this shortage, ranging from issues with infrastructure to climate change and even growth in population. Here’s looking at these aspects closely below. 

Why Pune Faces Water Shortage

Water shortage in Pune is a serious issue, with groundwater levels reducing steadily along with district-wide reservoir levels. Residents are now grappling to meet their water needs in hot and dry summers. 

One reason for this is the excessive extraction of groundwater after the monsoon season, which leads to depleted water storage and groundwater levels.  There are several locations, such as Budruk, Ambegaon, and others, where housing communities that once depended on borewells for the supply of water are now facing massive shortages. Water tanker operators are also finding it hard to source water in adequate volumes from borewells. 

The four dams that are taking care of the city’s water supply presently have just 45.90% of their overall storage capacity, which is around 13.38 TMC (thousand million cubic feet), indicating a major reduction from the storage level of 54.17% last year. Water storage levels across major reservoirs such as Temghar, Khadakwasla, Warasgaon, and Panshet are already below their optimal volumes. Other factors contributing to the situation include the skyrocketing population growth of Pune over the last few decades, which has naturally led to higher requirements for water. Climate change has also been a factor that has led to declining water levels, particularly in terms of overall quality. The situation has become even more pressing, with the city’s water consumption levels exceeding the quota that has been allocated. This is already straining existing resources, which are stretched to their limit. 

Sustainable Solutions are the Need of the Hour

Here are some of the sustainable solutions worth considering. 

• Conservation Focus- Sustainable water conservation and management practices are the need of the hour in order to address the water shortage in Pune. This is where environment-conscious solutions offered by Planet Smart City come into picture.
• Rainwater Harvesting & Flow Sensors- The water crisis can be averted with rainwater harvesting and rooftop collection systems for recharging groundwater and enabling long-term supply, while smart technologies like IoT-enabled flow sensors and water meters. This will track water usage on a real-time basis while helping quickly identify leaks to stop wastage. 
• Daily Usage Tracking- It also tracks daily water usage, while shutting off supply automatically to combat water wastage more effectively.
• Recycling- Water recycling, particularly of greywater from washing machines, showers, and sinks, is another option. With suitable treatment, it can be used to flush toilets or water gardens. 
• Drip Irrigation- This technique ensures water delivery to the roots in a suitable amount also lowers water wastage through lowering evaporation. 

Choosing Smart Solutions to Keep Water Shortage at Bay 

There are several providers offering sustainable and smart solutions to keep water shortage at bay. Planet Smart City, for example, has Planet SIM (smart infrastructure management), a pioneering initiative that tracks water in real-time with IoT devices, analytics, and sensors. This covers consumption trends, water flow, storage, and distribution. The end result is better allocation, higher conservation, and zero wastage. 

In Pune, communities using these systems have already lowered wastage by a whopping 25%. The Planet SIM platform also integrates smart water meters and leak detection, along with building a community-wide platform that emphasises water conservation and limits wastage. If Pune is to overcome the shortage situation, then solutions offered by Planet SIM are a must throughout the city.