Pune: Seven talukas in Maharashtra had already slipped into mild and moderate groundwater stress categories in March this year, well before the onset of peak summer months, a recent assessment by the Groundwater Surveys and Development Agency (GSDA) has shown. In addition, around 70 talukas recorded below-normal groundwater conditions, a trend experts said warranted close monitoring with surge in water demand.According to GSDA’s Groundwater Drought Index (GWDI) report for March 2026, released this month, of the total of Maharashtra’s 353 talukas, four were under mild groundwater stress and three under moderate stress. The remaining 346 talukas were categorised as normal. GWDI is a unitless score comparing current groundwater levels with long-term normal conditions. More negative values indicate worsening groundwater conditions.A closer look at taluka-level data, however, revealed that nearly 70 locations showed negative GWDI values while continuing to fall within the normal range. A negative GWDI indicates groundwater levels below the long-term average for a given location, reflecting depletion or over-extraction. Though not severe enough to be classified as drought, such readings point to weakening groundwater reserves compared to historical normals.Upendra Dhonde, hydrogeologist with the Central Groundwater Board (CGWB), said negative GWDI values were more indicative of over-exploitation. “Negative GWDI suggests increasing pressure on groundwater resources due to extraction rather than a direct impact of rainfall deficiency. The talukas already under mild and moderate stress categories require closer monitoring and proactive water conservation measures to restore groundwater levels to normal range,” Dhonde said.He said the March assessment offered an early snapshot of conditions before the peak summer demand fully set in. “The data was recorded before extraction pressures reached their highest levels. As temperatures rise and demand escalates through April and May, groundwater conditions in some areas may worsen. Continuous monitoring during this phase is critical,” the hydrogeologist said.District-wise, Raigad reported the highest number of affected talukas, with three falling under stress categories. Other districts with affected talukas include Ahilyanagar, Amravati, Satara, and the Thane-Palghar region. Among the talukas identified under moderate groundwater stress were Poladpur and Uran in Raigad, and Vikramgad in Thane-Palghar. Panvel (Ahilyanagar district), Dharni (Amravati), Jaoli (Satara) and Panvel (Raigad) were classified under mild groundwater stress.On the ground, early signs of stress are already visible. Private water suppliers in Pune have reported noticeable changes in groundwater behaviour in recent weeks. Tanker operator Sushant Lonkar said wells that previously refilled quickly were now taking much longer to recover. “Earlier, tankers could be filled in 9-10 minutes. Now, in some wells, we have to wait anywhere between 30 minutes to even an hour for water levels to replenish,” he said, referring to wells in areas like Kondhwa and NIBM.Another tanker operator, Lalit Galande Patil, said the situation had worsened compared to last year. “Earlier, about 20 tankers could be filled from a single borewell. Now, that number has dropped to around 15-16,” he said, adding that last year’s early monsoon, which began around May 10, helped ease water stress. “This year, there has been no such relief so far. If the heat persists and rains are delayed, tanker demand is likely to rise further even as available groundwater declines,” Patil added.
