Demand for water tankers surges in Pune amid soaring temp

According to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), the demand for water tankers has been increasing between January and March over the past four years highlighting the increasing water scarcity in the city. Between January and March 2021-22, a total 81,361 water tanker trips were recorded which increased to 87,420 during the corresponding period in 2022-23; 104,830 during the corresponding period in 2023-24; and 126,110 during the corresponding period this year (2024-25). The highest demand comes from the villages newly merged with the PMC indicating that these areas are experiencing the maximum water shortage.

A total of 34 villages has been merged with the PMC since 2017 and initially, the estimated population of these areas was 11.14 lakh. However, a recent consultant study on water supply projected the population of these villages to reach 18.11 lakh by next year. While the PMC claims to have established water supply networks in at least 11 of these villages including Dhayari, Nanded, Nandoshi, Dhawade, Uruli Devachi, Phursungi, Mundhwa, Keshav Nagar and Manjari, the situation on the ground is different.

Prasanna Joshi, superintendent engineer of the PMC water supply department, said, “Maximum residents of the newly merged villages are depending on water tankers as the PMC has not yet developed water networks in these villages. The PMC has started work in some of these villages but the same will take time.”

For the 2023-24 water budget, the PMC assumed a 2% annual population growth and included 2.98 lakh people from the 11 newly merged villages and 8.16 lakh from the 23 newly merged villages. The total water budget was set at 20.90 TMC, considering a projected population of 72.81 lakh, 35% water leakage, and a 5% floating population.

Joshi informed that tanker charges too are increasing amid the rising summer heat. “The normal tanker water which costs around ₹800 is a mix of portable and borewell water. Earlier, the portable water per tanker cost around ₹1,200 to ₹1,400 but now the same tanker costs around ₹1,800 to 2,500 ever since the summer has started,” Joshi said.

Dilip Shelke, a member of Vasant Vihar Society at Keshav Nagar, said, “We require approximately 75 tankers per month, only 15 out of which are provided free-of-charge. The rest have to be paid for, placing an additional financial burden on us.”

Deepak Bhosale, a resident of Manjari, seconded Shelke highlighting the dire situation faced by housing societies in these villages owing to inadequate water supply. “The PMC has appealed to citizens to register complaints in the event tankers are charging exorbitant sums. However, we haven’t received any complaints so far,” he said.

A senior PMC official on condition of anonymity said, “When there is high demand for tanker water, especially in summer, tanker prices increase. The PMC sells 10,000 litres water for ₹666 while water suppliers sell the same amount of water for ₹1,500 to ₹1,700 including fuel and driver charges.”

Meanwhile, water leakage remains a major concern, with 35% losses reported in both old and merged areas. The PMC has completed leakage detection and repairs in 50 out of 141 zones. Improved coordination has enhanced water distribution in areas such as Baner, Balewadi and Pashan but the demand for water tankers in the newly merged villages has increased by 40% due to supply shortages.