Pavana Lake backwaters, Maharashtra (representative image), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Maharashtra has asked industries to recycle or reuse at least 30% of the water they consume.
The state has also ordered a minimum 10% water cut from October 16.
Sewage treatment plants are to run at maximum capacity.
Treated wastewater is to be used for gardening, construction and cleaning.
Rabi foodgrains get priority among crops for irrigation.
Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan attributed the decision to inadequate rainfall and the continuing effects of El Nino, according to Oneindia.
Mahajan voiced concern that El Nino may persist into 2027, which is why the state is planning ahead, according to the same report.
Officials have declared drought in 265 talukas under the Trigger-1 criteria during the 2026 kharif season.
The Water Resources Department has prepared a dam-wise and use-wise water management plan that runs until August 31, 2027.
The plan allows for evaporation, silt accumulation and unauthorised extraction, and it assumes that a drought-like situation could develop.
Drinking water has been given the highest priority in the plan.
The state will also keep an additional 10% emergency buffer in every dam to ensure that reserves last through the dry months.
Local bodies must enforce the cut strictly and carry out leak-detection drives to reduce losses in supply networks.
Sewage treatment plants are to run at maximum capacity, and treated wastewater is to be used for gardening, construction and cleaning.
Industries have been asked to recycle or reuse at least 30% of the water they consume.
Irrigation ranks below drinking water, livestock and fodder in the order of priority, and among crops rabi foodgrains get priority.
Farmers have been encouraged to adopt water-efficient irrigation techniques.
The state government has also asked industries, farmers and citizens to conserve water.
Maharashtra has 358 talukas, so the 265 drought-declared talukas make up roughly three-quarters of the total.
Pavana Lake backwaters, Maharashtra (representative image), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
