Pimpri-Chinchwad: PCMC to Enhance Water Quality with Third-Party Testing

Pimpri, 7th March 2026: Amid rising concerns over water pollution and increasing complaints about contaminated drinking water in parts of the city, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has decided to appoint a third-party agency to conduct regular water quality testing.

Under the proposal, a laboratory will be appointed to test both drinking water and water from rivers flowing through the city. The proposal has been placed before the standing committee for approval.

The Pawana, Indrayani, and Mula rivers flowing through Pimpri-Chinchwad have witnessed increasing pollution levels. Sewage, industrial discharge, and chemical effluents are reportedly entering these rivers, leading to a deterioration in water quality. The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board has also recorded rising pollution levels in these rivers.

The city receives its water supply from the Pawana and Andra dams in Maval. Water from the Pawana dam is lifted from the Ravet weir on the Pawana River, while water from the Andra dam is lifted from the Nighoje weir on the Indrayani River. The water is then treated at the Nigdi and Chikhali water treatment plants before being distributed to residents.

However, in recent days, complaints from several areas of the city about muddy and contaminated water supply have increased. In some places, leakages in water pipelines are suspected to be causing the mixing of sewage with drinking water.

To address the issue, the civic body has decided to carry out regular testing of drinking water. A tender process was conducted to appoint the testing agency, in which two bidders participated. The civic body has accepted the lowest bid of ₹21.06 lakh, and the proposal has been placed before the standing committee for approval.

Samples of drinking water as well as river water will be tested under this initiative. According to Ajay Suryawanshi, Joint City Engineer of PCMC’s water supply department, the testing will help determine pollution levels in the rivers and ensure better monitoring of drinking water quality.

At present, the city receives around 650 million litres of water daily, including 550 million litres from Pawana Dam, 80 million litres from Andra Dam, and 20 million litres from MIDC sources.