The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) invested Rs 100 crore in sewage treatment plants. The treated water from here was meant to be reused for agriculture. However, even after a decade, only 40% of the treated water has been utilised, raising serious concerns about the inefficiency of the civic body's Water Resources Department.
Meanwhile, civic activist Vivek Velankar has urged Maharashtra’s Water Resources Minister to take immediate action to ensure full utilisation of the project.
At present, around 600 MLD of sewage of a total of 980 MLD generated in civic areas is treated. It includes 883 MLD generated in old city areas and 97 MLD in 34 merged areas. With the 11 new STPs likely to be operational in the next five months, the civic body will have the capacity to treat approximately 1,000 MLD of sewage.
The Mundhwa Jackwell project, launched in 2015, was designed to treat 550 MLD (6.5 TMC annually) of Pune’s sewage water for agricultural use, reducing dependency on fresh water from dams. However, RTI data reveals that in the last nine years (2016–2024) only 35% (22.5 TMC) of the treated water was used. Even more concerning is that since January 2025 not even 10% of the capacity has been utilised.
Velankar highlighted that Pune’s demand for an increased water quota has been wrongly opposed by the Water Resources Department, citing concerns about overall water availability. "Pune’s four dams collectively store 29 TMC of water, supporting both urban and rural needs, including agriculture in Daund and Indapur. However, if the department had efficiently used the treated sewage water, there would have been less strain on the freshwater supply, making Pune’s request for a 22 TMC quota more justifiable."
“This inefficiency is a failure of the Water Resources Department and Pune should not be penalised by restricting its water quota. The government must ensure 100% utilisation of the treated water so that both farmers and urban residents can benefit,” added Sourabh Singh, a resident of Kothrud.
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