Pune's Water Crisis: Tanker Trips Cross 5 Lakh Mark as Demand Surges

Punekars are increasingly depending on water tankers as growth in population, rising temperatures, limited dam storage, failing groundwater levels, and gaps in civic water supply continue to strain the city’s water resources. As per Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) data, tanker trips rose from 4 lakh between April 2023 and March 2024; to nearly 4.89 lakh between April 2024 and March 2025; to around 5.17 lakh between April 2025 and March 2026, crossing the 5-lakh mark for the first time. Over the past two years, tanker trips rose by around 50,000 annually. In March 2024, the city recorded about 38,299 tanker trips; which increased to 47,896 in March 2025; and crossed 58,000 in March 2026. In the first 26 days of April alone, over 55,000 tanker trips were recorded. Officials warn that demand for water tankers may rise further as mercury levels soar higher.

Hemant More, superintendent engineer of the PMC water supply department, said that the demand for water tankers has increased a lot in the past two years due to rising temperatures and uneven piped water supply. “We are trying to manage the situation, but every summer puts extra pressure on the system,” he said. More added that demand for tankers usually rises by around 10% between March and the end of May. “Last year, rains started early in May so demand dropped during the summer. But after 23 villages were merged with the PMC in 2021, demand for tankers has gone up. These areas do not have a proper water pipeline network, so they depend completely on tankers,” he said.

The civic body supplies tankers mainly for drinking water based on the number of flats in a housing society. “We usually provide tanker supply on alternate days depending on the demand,” More said. Meanwhile, for residents, the dependence on tankers has become unavoidable. Gaurav Sawant from Mahalunge, a newly-merged suburb, said, “We hardly get regular water supply for sufficient time. Every summer, we have to spend extra on tankers.” Rohit Shinde from Kirkatwadi, another fringe area, said, “Groundwater levels have dropped and borewells are failing. Tankers are the only option left for us.”

Despite efforts by the PMC to complete implementation of the 24x7 equitable water supply scheme since 2017, progress has been slow. Of the planned 82 water storage tanks, only about 30 to 35% have been made operational so far. The project also includes installation of nearly 2.8 lakh water meters and laying of 1,600 km of pipelines but delays have meant that the expected benefits are still to materialise, adding to the city’s growing reliance on tankers.

Soaring temperatures have pushed up demand, forcing tanker operators to hike prices across the city. Residents are now paying anywhere between ₹2,000 and ₹3,000 per tanker, depending on the area, with rates varying widely based on demand and distance. So much so that residents and civic officials have raised concerns over alleged black marketing, with some private operators reportedly sourcing water from civic loading stations at subsidised rates and selling it at three to four times the cost.

At present, there are three types of tankers operating in the city – those owned by the PMC, those operated by contractors, and private tankers. The PMC owns 29 tankers whereas around 45 private operators are authorised to load water from civic loading stations. Nearly 1,650 tankers are loaded daily at these centres. The PMC supplies water through contractors in areas where there is no water pipeline network. In such locations, tanker water is provided for drinking purposes based on the number of flats, often on alternate days. However, residents allege that despite regulated loading charges — ranging between ₹734 and ₹1,630 depending on tanker capacity — they are being charged significantly higher rates.

Mohan Sharma, a resident of Kharadi, said, “We are forced to pay whatever the tanker operator asks for. There is no fixed rate in reality. For a tanker that should cost around ₹1,300 to ₹1,500, we are paying ₹2,500 or more.” Rana Singh, a resident of Narhe (merged village), said, “We are completely dependent on tankers so we have no choice but to pay. It is becoming very expensive for housing societies. We are also afraid to complain, as we may not get water tankers when we need them the most.”

In many cases, there is only one contractor supplying water to the entire housing society, leaving residents with no choice but to accept the quoted price. Private tanker operators charge ₹2,000 to ₹2,500 per trip depending on distance, further adding to the burden on citizens. Demand for water tankers has surged across several parts of the city, particularly in the eastern and newly developed suburbs such as Wadgaonsheri, Kharadi, Lohegaon, Viman Nagar, Wagholi, Undri, Pisoli, Kondhwa, Baner and Balewadi. Many tankers are also sourcing water from private wells and borewells in the merged villages due to long queues at civic loading points. Last year, the PMC had fixed the rate for a 10,000-litre tanker for citizens at around ₹1,303, excluding the 23 newly-merged villages. However, residents say that the actual prices are much higher on-the-ground.

Nand Kishor Jagtap, head of the PMC water supply department, said, “If any tanker operator is found charging more than the approved rates after loading water from civic points, citizens should file a complaint. Strict action will be taken against such operators.” According to PMC officials, residents don’t come forward to report overcharging by water tanker operators either because they do not want to spoil relations with these operators or because the operators are linked to political leaders or relatives of current or former corporators.