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Maharashtra Orders Statewide 10% Water Cut From October 16

The measure aims to protect drinking supplies through August 31, 2027 as the state fast-tracks crop assessments to secure central relief

The government has declared drought in 265 talukas where the Trigger-1 criterion was applied during the 2026 kharif seasona. (Representational photo) (Photo by Bhushan Koyande/HT Photo)
Thane, India - April 24, 2026: Residents are collecting water from a tap as the Thane Municipal Corporation has appealed to citizens to conserve water in view of the rapidly declining water levels in the reserves due to rising temperatures in Thane, in Mumbai, India, on Friday, April 24, 2026. (Photo by Praful Gangurde / Hindustan Times). (Praful Gangurde)
Ganesh Katkar, a farmer from Vadgaon village in Beed district, removes soybean crops from his farmland damaged by drought-like conditions. In Marathwada, severe drought has damaged over 80% of kharif crops, particularly soybean and cotton, leaving farmers in financial distress. Latur, Beed, Dharashiv, and Parbhani are the worst-hit districts (Raju Shinde/HT Photo)
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Overview

  • The government directed all municipal corporations, municipalities and gram panchayats to implement a mandatory minimum 10% reduction in public water supply from October 16 to conserve reservoir stocks.
  • The Water Resources Department has drawn up dam‑wise plans that reserve drinking water until August 31, 2027 and require each reservoir to hold an additional 10% emergency buffer.
  • New operational rules force full use of sewage treatment plants with treated effluent used for gardening and construction, mandate industries to recycle at least 30% of their water, and order patrols and seizures to stop unauthorised extraction.
  • State officials have completed about 45% of panchnama crop‑loss surveys covering 65.26 lakh hectares, aim to finish assessments by roughly October 12, have submitted an interim Rs 17,500 crore aid proposal, and will host central assessment teams visiting on October 10–12.
  • Farmers and rural households face large kharif losses, tanker deliveries and fodder shortages, and the state is prioritising drinking water, livestock and rabi fodder before irrigation with possible use of dead storage only after technical review.