Nashik city's water supply was largely restored on Thursday following a 36-hour disruption that began on Tuesday evening due to a power failure at the Gangapur dam pumping station. The outage affected multiple divisions, including Nashik West, Satpur, Panchavati, Nashik Road, and parts of Cidco and Nashik East, forcing residents to rely on limited tanker supply and stored water. While supply resumed by Thursday, several localities continued to receive water at low pressure, with officials stating that full normalisation is expected by Friday.
Cause of the Disruption
Civic officials attributed the disruption to a major power failure that crippled raw-water lifting operations. The Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) was unable to lift raw water from the jackwell due to a fault in the 33kV feeder line supplying power to the pumping station. Repeated interruptions slowed restoration efforts.
Simultaneous Feeder Failures
The situation worsened as both power feeders to the crucial pumping station failed simultaneously due to weather-related damage. The high-tension conductor on the Mahindra feeder snapped and fell, while the Satpur feeder was rendered non-operational after a tree collapsed on the line during heavy rain on Tuesday. The jackwell pumping station, a critical component of the city's water supply system, remained completely shut during the outage, severely affecting operations at six water treatment plants and disrupting potable water distribution across the city.
Restoration Efforts
It took nearly one-and-a-half days to repair the power infrastructure. Electricity was restored and pumping operations resumed on Thursday morning. Residents across affected areas reported inconvenience during the outage, struggling to secure drinking water and manage daily needs. To mitigate the crisis, the NMC deployed around 25 water tankers.
City's Dependence on Gangapur Dam
Officials noted that the city's heavy dependence on the Gangapur dam amplified the impact. The dam supplies nearly 80% of the city's water, while Mukane and Darna dams cater to the remaining demand. Areas linked to Mukane reported a relatively stable supply during the disruption.
