PMC estimates 27.17 TMC water requirement for 1.07 crore population in 2027
With the addition of 33 new villages, Pune has expanded to 516 square kilometres and with rising construction and population, the demand for water has also increased.
In a letter to water resources department, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has projected that it would require 27.17 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) water for 1.07 crore population in 2027, and 34 TMC in 2052.
PMC has included the newly merged villages in the letter submitted on Tuesday. According to the civic body, the initiative is aimed at preparing in advance the future water needs.
According to the PMC data, by 2052, 34.71 TMC of water would be needed by the civic body for the metropolitan region and its growing population.
According to the report, the civic body pointed out that PMC currently requires 16.36 TMC water and the same has been approved and sanctioned by the government. The water is supplied from four dams in the Khadakwasla circle. However, PMC requires 21 TMC water and, according to the 2019 census, 5,208,444 citizens reside in the civic body jurisdiction. With the addition of 33 new villages, Pune has expanded to 516 square kilometres and with rising construction and population, the demand for water has also increased.
According to the Maharashtra Water Resources Regulation Authority (MWRRA) directives, civic bodies must prepare and submit an annual water budget to the irrigation department. The budget must estimate a 2% population growth from the previous year. Factors like water leakages would have to be considered over and above consumption, while calculating the requirement.
Nandkishore Jagtap, PMC water chief, said, “An estimated water budget related to future requirements has been submitted and we are hopeful that our demand would be met by the authorities.”
