Pune: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) will procure two robotic cameras in its bid to curb water losses and detect leakages in its supply network. The decision follows a successful pilot project that inspected 322 locations across the city.“The results of the pilot were encouraging. PMC will now scale up robotic inspections,” Nandkishor Jagtap, head of PMC’s water supply department, said.Between April 6 and July 23, robotic cameras were used to inspect pipelines with diameters ranging from 75mm to 1,200mm. The survey identified nine categories of faults, including leaks, unauthorised connections, blockages and contamination, highlighting significant scope for water conservation.“The inspections detected four leak points, including two on 300mm pipelines and one each on 150mm and 450mm pipes,” an official said.According to PMC estimates, repairing these faults could save around 0.54 million litres per day (MLD) of water. The survey also uncovered four unauthorised connections, three on 100mm pipelines and one on a 150mm pipe. Disconnecting these could save an additional 0.20 MLD, the official said.Civic activists and residents on Sunday urged PMC to focus on plugging systemic losses rather than relying on water cuts to manage supply. “PMC has introduced water cuts, causing hardship to citizens. It should focus on resolving systemic flaws and improving water supply,” Vivek Velankar of Sajag Nagrik Manch said.The residents said illegal water tapping remained a major concern, particularly in the city’s Peth areas. PMC data indicated there were nearly 4.5 lakh unauthorised water connections within municipal limits, matching the number of authorised connections. “Taxpayers with legal connections are suffering because of rampant illegal tapping. The robotic cameras should be used extensively to identify and disconnect such unauthorised connections without delay,” Kothrud resident Shantanu Gosavi said.The civic administration believes expanded robotic inspections will help improve network efficiency, reduce distribution losses and enhance water availability across the city.
