Delhi water woes, residents ask: How will it be in summer?

“There was a broken pipeline which was repaired. Then they have been telling us that the Yamuna has no water and ammonia levels are high. Until about two days ago, we were not getting any water. Since yesterday (Wednesday), it has started at very low pressure, but that is not sufficient and we are getting water tankers from the Delhi Jal Board (DJB). South Extension has also been hit. We’ve never had a problem in Defence Colony. If the situation is like this now, it’s hard to imagine what it’s going to be like when peak summer comes,” said Bakshi, adding that they’re likely to face issues for the next two days as well with another water shortage advisory issued Thursday.

The DJB advisory issued Thursday said due to replacement of a delivery line at Wazirabad, a 40 MGD (million gallons per day) plant will remain non-operational affecting water supply on Friday evening and Saturday morning in areas including Defence Colony, Moolchand, Greater Kailash, Delhi Gate, Majnu Ka Tilla and adjoining areas, Tilak Marg and areas under the New Delhi Municipal Council.

Deepak Baweja, president of an RWA in New Rajinder Nagar said, “There is a shortage, but this has been there in the winter also. A meeting of the RWA with members was held recently and people had a lot of problems. We have requested the MLA to find a solution. The water treatment centre has not been getting enough water.”

A DJB spokesperson said there is water scarcity overall, but it is not that all of Defence Colony has not been supplied with water, and efforts are being made to rationalise the supply. Daily supply has been reduced to supply every alternate day in some places, the spokesperson said.

Additional tubewells are being installed to augment supply, according to a DJB official. Tubewells that are expected to yield a total of 20.9 MGD are in the process of being installed — some are expected to function by March and May this year.

More tubewells — 259 in total with a combined capacity of 42.5 MGD — are proposed to be set up at Palla, near Bhalswa lake, and other locations with the DJB attempting to obtain permissions from different land-owning agencies.

The DJB is also in the process of preparing a summer action plan that will map areas that are vulnerable to shortage and help take site-specific measures like deploying tankers and installing tubewells.

By 2024, the DJB plans on installing RO plants alongside lakes that will receive treated water from sewage treatment plants. Treated effluent will be transferred to the lakes, where it will be treated further. These lakes are expected to recharge groundwater. Tubewells will then be installed to draw water that will be fed to RO plants that will then supply potable water. Six such plants with a combined capacity of 45 MGD are in the offing and are expected to be complete next year.

Water levels in the Yamuna at Wazirabad have been below the normal level for around two weeks and production at the Wazirabad and Chandrawal water treatment plants have been hit. Northwest India has received low rainfall this winter, having recorded a 76% deficit in February.