Nashik to Implement Weekly Water Cuts Starting June 20
Nashik city will experience a complete water cut every Saturday as the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) enforces a once-a-week supply suspension starting June 20. The supply on Sunday is expected to resume with low pressure across the city, but normal supply will be restored from Monday. This decision comes amid delayed monsoon conditions and the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) warning of a possible El Niño impact, which could weaken rainfall this season.
Despite three weeks of June having passed, the city has yet to receive rainfall, increasing concerns over dwindling water reserves. Civic authorities stated that the weekly water cut, enforced every Saturday, aims to ensure the available water stock lasts until August 31.
"There will be no water supply across Nashik city on every Saturday. This measure is essential to ensure our reserved quota sustains till the end of August," said Ravindra Dharankar, superintending engineer (water supply and sewage management).
The move follows directions from district guardian secretary Eknath Dawale, who instructed the civic body during a recent review meeting to manage water reserves prudently. Officials said the current stock is projected to last only until August 13, leaving a shortfall of about 18 days, prompting the need for weekly cuts.
To manage the situation further, the civic body is also considering implementing water cuts every two days for a period of 11 days in August, if required. "These steps are precautionary to ensure the city gets water supply till August-end," the officials said.
The city has been allocated 6,400 million cubic feet (mcft) of water for the current water reservation cycle (October 15, 2025 to July 31, 2026), sourced from Gangapur (4,600 mcft), Mukane (1,500 mcft) and Darna (300 mcft) dams. Of this, around 5,134 mcft has already been used, leaving 1,266 mcft in reserve.
NMC supplies about 600 million litres per day (MLD), translating to daily consumption of around 21 mcft. Gangapur dam alone accounts for nearly 80% of the city's supply.
Officials, however, remain hopeful. "A similar situation arose in 2023 due to El Niño concerns, but rainfall improved by June-end, allowing us to withdraw the cuts. We expect the monsoon to pick up soon and improve the storage levels," they said.
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