Severe Water Shortage Hits 66 Neighborhoods in Delhi; Production at 5 Water Plants Drops by Over Half

Residents of Delhi are facing a severe water shortage as 66 neighborhoods across the city are experiencing disrupted supply. The crisis has emerged due to a combination of rising ammonia levels in the Yamuna River and ongoing repairs at the Munak Canal in Haryana, which supplies raw water to five major water treatment plants in Delhi.

Production Halved at Key Water Plants
The high ammonia concentration in the Yamuna, now at 6 ppm, has already affected water production at the Wazirabad and Chandrawal water treatment plants. Meanwhile, repairs at the Munak Canal have reduced water inflow by half, leading to a significant drop in production at the Haiderpur, Dwarka, Nangloi, Okhla, and Bawana treatment plants. Currently, only the Bhagirathi and Sonia Vihar plants are operating at full capacity.

Delhi Government Appeals to Haryana
In response to the situation, the Delhi government has written to the Haryana government requesting increased water release from the Hathini Kund Barrage to dilute the ammonia concentration in the Yamuna. Authorities have also sought diversion of water from the Eastern and Western Canals into the river to increase flow and reduce contamination levels.

Water Supply Details
According to the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), over 80% of Delhi’s potable water requirement is met by raw water from Haryana through the Munak Canal. The canal splits into two branches: the Carrier Line Channel (CLC) and the Delhi Sub-Branch (DSB), supplying 440 MGD and 227 MGD respectively, totaling 667 MGD. Due to repair work, only half of this volume is currently being delivered.

Plant-wise Impacted Areas:

• Haiderpur Plant-1: Shalimar Bagh, Pitampura, Lawrence Road, Saraswati Vihar, Sainik Vihar, Mangolpuri, Peeragarhi, Sultanpuri, Avantika, Raja Garden, Rajouri Garden, Subhash Nagar, Hari Nagar, Kirti Nagar, Mayapuri, Inderlok, Todapur, Rohini Sector-29, Kirari.
• Haiderpur Plant-2: Rohini Sector-7, 11, 17, 18, 19, Prashant Vihar, Madhu Vihar, Mangolpuri, Paschim Vihar, Mayapuri, Janakpuri, Tilak Nagar, Delhi Cantt, Palam, Mahipalpur, Sagar Pur, Vasant Vihar, Sadar Bazaar.
• Bawana Plant: Sultanpur Dabas, Qutubgarh, Karala, Bawana.
• Dwarka Plant: All Dwarka sectors, Madhu Vihar, Rajapuri, Bindapur, Mahavir Enclave, Palam, Dabri, Airport area.
• Wazirabad Plant: Majnu Ka Tila, ISBT Kashmere Gate, GPO, NDMC areas, ITO, LNJP Hospital, Hans Bhawan, Rajghat, Defence Colony, CGO Complex, WHO office, Ramleela Ground, Delhi Gate, Subhash Park, Gulabi Bagh, Timarpur, Azadpur, Punjabi Bagh.

Delhi residents in the affected areas are advised to conserve water and make necessary arrangements while the situation is being addressed.