Is Tap Water Safe to Drink in Pune? Here’s What You Should Know

Tap water is a reliable means of accessing drinking water by many families living in Pune. However, one of the most common queries among locals is: “Is tap water safe for drinking or does it need filtering?”

This issue can only be answered after considering various factors other than the quality of the water coming out of the water treatment plant. Tap water passes through different stages, including pipelines, storage tanks, building plumbing systems, and house taps, before it comes into your hands. It is essential to understand the nature and quality of the water before determining whether it should be consumed without filtering.

As indicated in the published water quality report by the Pune Municipal Corporation, tap water in Pune has passed the drinking water tests. For instance, the treated water in the 2022-2023 report was found to have a pH of 7.37, 32 ppm TDS, and no coliform/E. coli. The findings have been compared to the IS 10500:2012 standards.

However, this does not imply that all tap water in Pune will be in the exact quality and state as that which has been tested.

From Where Does Pune Get Its Tap Water Supply?

A major supply of municipal water in Pune comes from the municipal water supply system of the city. The water gets processed before distribution via the system.

This processing aims at eliminating contamination, making the water fit for consumption. Water-quality reports from PMC measure various physical, chemical, and bacteriological aspects like turbidity, pH, hardness, chlorides, nitrates, total dissolved solids, metal content, and coliform bacteria.

The Maharashtra Groundwater Surveys and Development Agency also has water-quality testing centers and states that drinking-water quality is measured via physical, chemical, and bacteriological measures.

Does Good Municipal Water Mean You Can Drink Tap Water Directly?

One of the most important things to understand is the difference between water quality at the treatment and distribution level and the water that actually comes out of your household tap.

Water may travel through pipelines and building plumbing before reaching your kitchen. In apartments and societies, it may also be stored in underground or overhead tanks. If these tanks or pipes are not maintained properly, the quality of water at the point of use can be affected.

For this reason, households should pay attention to both the municipal supply and their own internal water system.

PMC’s recent environmental-status reporting lists water-supply quality as meeting its service-level benchmark, while also showing that average water supply is not continuous 24 hours a day.

Why Should You Consider Filtering Tap Water in Pune?

Even when municipal water is treated, using an appropriate household water purifier can provide an additional level of treatment at the point where you consume the water.

A purifier can be particularly useful if:

Your building uses large overhead or underground storage tanks.
You notice an unusual taste, smell, or appearance in the water.
Your building’s plumbing is old.
Water sometimes appears muddy after maintenance or pipeline work.
You are unsure about the cleanliness of your storage tank.
You use a combination of municipal and borewell water.
Your household wants additional filtration before drinking.

It is important to remember that not every water source requires the same type of purifier. Choosing a purifier based on the actual characteristics of your water is better than selecting a system simply because it has more purification stages.

Which Water Purifier Is Suitable for Pune Homes?

RO Water Purifier

RO systems are designed to reduce dissolved substances from water and can be useful when the incoming water has higher levels of dissolved solids.

However, RO is not automatically necessary for every municipal-water connection. If your water has relatively low TDS and is already treated, another type of filtration system may be more appropriate.

UV Water Purifier

UV purification is designed to help inactivate microorganisms using ultraviolet light. It can be considered where microbiological contamination is a concern and the water is otherwise suitable for UV treatment.

RO + UV Purifier

A combination system provides multiple treatment stages. Depending on the incoming water quality, it can address dissolved impurities along with microbiological concerns.

RO + UV + UF + TDS Purifier

Advanced systems may combine multiple technologies and provide additional control over the treated water. However, the best choice should still be based on the source-water characteristics rather than simply choosing the purifier with the largest number of features.

What About Borewell or Mixed Water?

This is particularly important in Pune and PCMC areas where some buildings or properties may use borewell water, municipal water, or a combination of sources.

Borewell water can have different mineral and chemical characteristics from treated municipal water. Maharashtra’s GSDA operates water-quality laboratories and provides testing for drinking-water samples, including chemical and biological analysis.

If your home receives mixed water, getting the water tested can help you understand parameters such as TDS, hardness, fluoride, nitrate, and other characteristics before selecting a purifier.

Signs That You Should Check Your Water

You should consider checking your water quality if you notice:

Cloudy or unusually coloured water
Strange taste or smell
Visible particles or sediment
Frequent changes in water quality
Water becoming dirty after pipeline maintenance
Problems associated with an unclean storage tank
Uncertainty about whether your building uses municipal or borewell water

Remember that clear-looking water is not necessarily proof that it is microbiologically or chemically safe. Water quality is determined through appropriate testing rather than appearance alone.

What Are Some Ways to Make Drinking Water from Taps Safe at Home?

Here are some simple ways in which households could ensure safe water drinking quality.

Clean tanks: If the household uses an overhead or underground tank, then the cleaning of the tanks is very important.

Keep your household piping system in good condition: Piping systems in poor conditions could affect the quality of drinking water.

Use an appropriate water purifier: A technology of purification needs to be chosen depending upon the source of water and test results.

Replace filters on time: The purifier will not function effectively if the filters have not been changed.

Test the water after repair: In case of any disruption in the water supply or pipeline repairs, test the water before consumption.
Laboratory test for questionable water: In case of doubts regarding the quality of water, laboratory tests may prove to be more effective than tasting it.

Is the Rental of a Water Purifier a Good Idea in Pune?

The purchase of a water purifier may not be an easy thing for everyone. For students, tenants, office-going professionals, those residing in rented apartments, transient populations, or people residing in Pune for a temporary period of time, a rental option might be preferable.

Renting a water purifier can become an ideal option in case you wish to use a suitable purification device without having to buy one.

A rental service can come in handy in cases where you wish to avoid spending on a new purifier or do not wish to carry the appliance with you once you move out.

Based on your needs, a rental option can range from RO, RO+UV, UV, and RO+UV+UF+TDS purification systems.

However, you should consider all the aspects of the purifier type, installation process, maintenance, filter change, and other relevant factors before renting.

Conclusion: Is Drinking Water from Pune Taps Safe?

Tap water from Pune municipality goes through treatment and testing, and it is evident from the reports released by PMC where the treated water results are compared to Indian standards of drinking water quality.

Nevertheless, the quality of water at your end will also depend on pipelines, storage tanks, plumbing, water source, and maintenance within your premise.

As such, rather than making assumptions that all tap water is either safe or unsafe, it would be wise to know the nature of the water source and take necessary measures.

For instance, if you do not know about the quality of water in your house, it would be prudent to get your water quality tested and use the most appropriate water purifier. If you are renting a water purifier, then water purifier rental in Pune and PCMC is an easy choice.

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