Dams get enough water to fulfil city’s need for rest of the year

Incessant rains in the past two weeks has led to accumulation of enough water in the four dams to meet the city’s need for the rest of the year. According to the municipal administration, the average water stock in the four dams - Khadakwasla, Panshet, Varasgaon and Temghar - is 75% , which is enough to fulfil the water supply need of Pune till the next summer season.

In the past, inadequate water storage in the dams had forced the municipal corporation to supply water to the city on alternate day water supply for the city during April and May.

Pune is getting water supply from Khadakwasla, Panshet, Temghar and Varasgaon and the total capacity of these dams is 29 Thousand Million Cubic feet (TMC). As per figures revealed by the irrigation department, the water storage in all these four dams was 21.13 TMC till Monday evening.

As rainfall continues in the catchment areas, the water level is increasing day by day. Even as the flow of the incoming water is more from catchment areas to the dams, the irrigation department is releasing water to the river from time to time since the last three days.

PMC water department head VJ Kulkarni said that the irrigation department had approved 11.5 TMC water for Pune city for drinking purpose but as the city’s needs are increasing, PMC is lifting almost 14 TMC water from these dams the entire year.

The dams are expected to get full very soon and the irrigation department would also release excess water to the river which will help increase water in the Ujani dam which is on the same river.

As the dams are getting full and it will provide great relief to the city, Pune mayor Mukta Tilak will visit Khadakwasla dam on Tuesday evening. PMC Mayor office passed the message that Tilak would perform pooja of the Khadakwasla reservoir on Tuesday which is an old tradition.

Ample Rainfall

Rainfall (from 6 am on July 23 to 6 am July 24)

Khadakwasla 11 mm

Panshet 33 mm

Varasgaon 32 mm

Temghar 123 mm

Total storage (July 24, 2017) 21.13 TMC (72.50%)

Total storage (July 24, 2016) 16.69 TMC (57.25%)