Pune: The collective water stock in the four dams – Khadakwasla, Panshet, Temghar and Varasgaon – has increased by 1.5 TMC overnight due to consistent heavy downpour in the catchment areas since Monday (August 3) night. This means the heavy rainfall in 24 hours has added water in the dams that will be enough for Pune city for an entire month.
The total water stock which was 10.66 TMC has now gone up to 12.07 TMC on Wednesday (August 5) morning. Khadakwasla dam received 65 mm rainfall in the last 24 hours. Similarly, Panshet received 177 mm, Varasgaon 165 mm and Temghar dam received 170 mm rainfall in the last 24 hours.
Mayor Murlidhar Mohol had announced on Tuesday (August 4) that there will be no water cuts for the city till this month-end even if rainfall was deficient in July month. The decision was taken in view of the excess water usage for maintaining personal and public hygiene during the Covid-19 outbreak in the city and also anticipating heavy rainfall in the dam catchment areas in the coming days.
“If the catchment areas don’t receive good rainfall in the next 15 days and the rainfall deficiency is not covered for, then water cuts will be imminent for Punekars,” Mohol had said while addressing a meeting of PMC officials. Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has also appealed to citizens to use water judiciously in the coming days.
Pune Municipal Corporation gets 1400 MLD (Million Litres per Day) water every day. For one month. Pune city requires 1.25 TMC water. The cumulative water storage in four dams – Khadakwasla, Panshet, Temghar and Varasgaon – that supply water to the city was 50 per cent below the year-on-year basis for July month. Although monsoon arrived in time this year, there hasn’t been much activity in the catchment areas as well as Pune city and adjoining areas.
