No Additional Water Cut In Pune Until Canal Committee Meeting, Says Mayor Manjusha Nagpure
Pune will not face an additional water cut for now. The mayor said the existing cut continues until the canal committee decides the city’s water allocation.
Photo: Advaitk at English Wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Pune, 29th October 2026: There will be no extra water cut in Pune for now. Mayor Manjusha Nagpure has told officials to continue with the existing curtailment and said nothing more will be decided until the canal committee meets to fix the city’s share of water from the Khadakwasla dam system.
At present, water supply is shut across the city on Thursdays. That arrangement stays.
What’s on the table
The water resources (irrigation) department has proposed a 20% cut in water use from the Khadakwasla system. The final call will be taken by the canal committee, chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar. A meeting was expected on Monday.
There is also a gap between what the city wants and what it has been given. PMC had asked for 21 TMC. The irrigation department approved 11.33 TMC, compared with the 16 TMC Pune received last year.
Why a bigger cut is even being discussed
The monsoon was weaker than usual and parts of the district are already facing drought-like conditions. In mid-October, the district administration said it was looking at a 20% cut for Khadakwasla and a 10% cut for Pavana dam, which supplies Pimpri-Chinchwad, so that stocks last until the next monsoon. At that point, Collector Jitendra Dudi said Khadakwasla was about 88% full and Pavana about 95% full.
The administration also said tankers were running in drought-hit talukas such as Baramati, Indapur and Daund, and that fodder crops would get priority in rabi irrigation rotations.
Citizens’ group says current cut is enough
Sajag Nagrik Manch has opposed any increase. Its president, Vivek Velankar, says the Khadakwasla system held about 25.66 TMC on October 15. By the group’s calculation, Pune needs roughly 15 TMC until August 31, 2027 if the Thursday shutdown continues, which still leaves water for irrigation, evaporation losses and other uses.
The group has also asked PMC to publish a white paper on the Equal Water Supply Scheme. It says about ₹2,000 crore has been spent on the scheme over five years and wants the corporation to show how much leakage has actually come down.
Reports don’t fully agree on the size of the current cut. Some put it at about 10%, others at about 13%, depending on how the Thursday shutdown is counted.
What this means at home
Nothing changes for now beyond the weekly shutdown. If the canal committee approves a bigger cut, PMC is expected to put out a revised, area-wise schedule. Until then, store water sensibly before Thursdays and report leaks when you see them.
Small things add up. A dripping tap or an overflowing tank can waste hundreds of litres in a week. Washing the car with a bucket instead of a hose, and using RO reject water for mopping and plants, both help. Housing societies can also check pumps and tanks for overflow and think about rainwater harvesting before the next monsoon.
In Pimpri-Chinchwad, PCMC has begun checking for illegal water extraction using motor pumps. Follow our Pimpri-Chinchwad news for updates.
This story is developing. We will update it after the canal committee meeting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a new water cut in Pune?
Not yet. The mayor has said the existing cut will continue and no extra cut will be decided before the canal committee meeting.
Which day is water supply off in Pune?
Under the current arrangement, water supply is suspended on Thursdays.
Who decides Pune’s water allocation?
The canal committee, chaired by the Deputy Chief Minister, decides how water from the Khadakwasla dam system is shared between the city, irrigation and other uses.
