The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has cleared a plan to make sewage treatment plant (STP) sensors compulsory for housing societies with more than 100 residential units, a measure that will cover nearly 750 private STPs across the city. The devices will monitor whether plants are running and whether treated water meets prescribed quality norms before release into drains and ultimately the Mula-Mutha river. Data from each plant will feed into a central civic dashboard for real-time supervision and societies will bear the cost of installation. The civic body expects the central dashboard to allow targeted enforcement and to reduce reliance on manual inspections.

The move responds to mounting concern about the deteriorating health of the Mula-Mutha, with experts warning that the river risks becoming ecologically dead if untreated sewage continues to flow in. Civic investigations have found several societies switching off their STPs to reduce operating expenses, thereby sending raw wastewater into storm drains. The corporation has indicated it will take strict action against violators while also pursuing preventive measures.

City authorities are simultaneously expanding treatment capacity, including 11 new treatment plants with a combined 396 million (mn) litres per day capacity under a Japan International Cooperation Agency-backed programme. The additional municipal commissioner, Prithviraj B. P., compared the STP network to air-quality sensors at construction sites and stated that the sensors will give the administration direct oversight of private plants. Officials argue that digital monitoring will strengthen enforcement and improve transparency. The administration will integrate sensor data with existing monitoring systems to enable cross-checking and audits.

Officials expect that consistent monitoring together with increased treatment capacity will offer Pune its best chance to revive the Mula-Mutha and reduce public health risks. Implementation will begin with large housing societies and the civic dashboard will enable prompt identification and remediation of non-compliant plants. Officials indicated that a phased roll-out will give societies time to comply and administrators time to refine protocols.