Maharashtra to enforce 10% water cuts across urban and rural areas

Maharashtra's Water Resources Department announced sweeping conservation measures Monday, directing all urban municipal corporations, municipalities and rural gram panchayats to reduce water supply by a minimum of 10 per cent starting October 16.

Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan said the state has completed detailed assessments of available water reserves across all dams through August 2027, accounting for El Niño effects and the risk of drought-like conditions. "Drinking water will receive the highest priority," Mahajan stated, underscoring the government's commitment to ensuring potable water supplies even as overall consumption faces restrictions.

Beyond the mandatory cuts, local bodies have been instructed to launch intensive campaigns against water leakage and operate sewage treatment plants at full capacity. The government has also mandated that treated wastewater be repurposed for non-essential uses including landscaping, construction and cleaning activities.

Industries operating in the state face their own conservation requirements, with directives to reuse or recycle at least 30 per cent of their water consumption. The multi-pronged approach aims to stretch available water resources through the critical months ahead while maintaining essential drinking water supplies for the state's population.