The water woes of thousands of residents of Urali Devachi and Phursungi are likely to come to an end with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) having roped in the Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran (MJP) to chalk out and implement a supply scheme there. The MJP has sought to know the population of the villages so that it can work out the requirement.

The MJP recently started the work on a 5-million-MLD (million litres per day)filtration plant, expected to be complete by May, with bigger projects to take off later. The scheme will be funded by the PMC and rolled out through MJP. If these projects work out, villagers could stop depending on the water tankers and the ordeal of lifting water from the Khadakwasla canal.

Top officers of the PMC, the MJP and the gram panchayat held a meeting on Friday to discuss the modalities of the plan. The increasing production of municipal solid waste has led contamination of the groundwater. The percolation of leachate has also led to the uselessness of a number of wells in the villages.

“We had earlier submitted a proposal worth Rs 18 crore to the PMC. The proposal entailed construction of a balancing tank, due to which the cost escalated and made the idea unaffordable. We now plan to install a sump well and purification units common to both village,” deputy engineer of MJP, H V Damodare said.

“Unscientific dumping of garbage on Uruli Devachi and Phursungi has contaminated the wells in the area, threatening the health of the people,” Balasaheb Lende, sarpanch of Phursungi village said.

He said about 30 water tankers provided by the PMC quench the thirst of villagers now. Water from the canal is lifted and put into some of the wells, away from the garbage depot, then chlorinated and used for washing and cleaning.