PUNE: The usage of treated water for construction is not finding many takers despite being mandatory, as many real estate developers are avoiding its use citing that the inferior quality of water may have an adverse effect on buildings.
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has objected to the use of potable water and said it would take strict measures, such as giving stop-work notices if developers were found using drinking water for construction purposes.
The civic body has also urged developers to make judicious use of the commodity ahead of likely water scarcity in summer.
The developers and structural engineers, in a recently held meeting with PMC officials, objected to the use of treated water and highlighted several issues.
“Various factors like chemicals and other ingredients in the treated water can prove hazardous if it is not within the prescribed limits. It (the water) can cause damage to cement while mixing and also pose a threat to structures once they are built. Who will take responsibility for such risks?” said Dhairyashil Khaire-Patil, a structural engineer and the chairman of the Association of Consulting Civil Engineers.
The tanker operators supplying water to the construction sites, too, were hesitant, claiming the utility of their vehicles was at stake due to treated water and are unwilling to transport treated water due to fear of contamination.
“It is difficult to use the tanker to transport potable water if we use it for treated water. The demand for grey water is not high, so devoting tankers just for treated water is not viable for us,” said a tanker operator on condition of anonymity.
The PMC officials present at the meeting took note of the problems faced by the developers and said they would work on them.
“The civic administration has decided to carry out one more study regarding the quality of water. The results will be shared with auditors and developers. After that, the administration will again promote the usage of treated water,” Nandkishor Jagtap, the head of PMC’s water supply department, said.
Along with developers, the use of treated water was made mandatory for grounds, golf courses and other sporting facilities.
The civic body is providing tankers of treated water to real estate developers and other commercial establishments.
As per PMC officials, a dedicated mobile application — PMC STP Tanker System — has been developed for transportation and management of tankers carrying treated water. Over 700 developers and 138 tanker operators have registered on the system. Nearly 250 tankers are used for construction purposes daily, and only around 50% of them transport treated water.
According to PMC officials, around 1 crore sqft constructions, including commercial and residential properties, take place in the Pune civic areas every year. Nearly 4,500 building permissions are given annually.
Last year, the civic body took action against developers for not following the directives. The administration saved around 5 lakh litres of potable water daily after it initiated action against real estate developers.
As per PMC officials, nearly 200 construction sites were found not using grey water.
A senior PMC official said the civic body was keen to reduce the water consumption after complaints from the irrigation department about its misuse. PMC has been lifting more than its allotted quota of water over the past few years.
