DJB meets supply target after 21 days, more tankers to be added for improved supply

The increased water supply comes against the backdrop of the Yamuna water level at Wazirabad Barrage reaching 671.3 feet on June 3, which was 1.5 feet up from the level of 669.8 feet level recorded on May 28

New Delhi

Boys load up canisters filled with water from a tanker in New Ashok Nagar. (Raj K Raj/HT Photo)

Water supply level in the city crossed the 1,000 million gallons a day (mgd) target on Monday, ending a 21-day hiatus, clocking 1,002.61mgd supply on the day, according to the Delhi Jal Board (DJB). The water utility also issued orders to add another 150 water tankers to its existing fleet of 811 tankers, across six divisions.

The increased water supply comes against the backdrop of the Yamuna water level at Wazirabad Barrage reaching 671.3 feet on June 3, which was 1.5 feet up from the level of 669.8 feet level recorded on May 28. However, 674.5 feet is considered the ideal level at Wazirabad pond area.

Delhi water minister Atishi said: “I would like to thank the Supreme Court for taking cognizance of the water problem in Delhi... In the Upper Yamuna River Board, the Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Central governments should all sit together and find a solution. This decision of the Supreme Court has proved that the water shortage in Delhi is not Delhi’s problem. All states will have to sit together and find a solution to this.”

The water minister said that people from all over the country migrate to Delhi and when such intense heatwave is going on, all states should help Delhi solve its problem.

“It is natural that Haryana is releasing less water, which is leading to shortage at plants. DJB is working to distribute and rationalise this water. Tanker numbers have been increased significantly. We hope that on June 5, Delhi’s problem can be solved in 1-2 days if Haryana cooperates,” she said.

To be sure, even though the targeted supply of the city under its summer action plan is 1,000mgd, the estimated demand according to the Delhi economic survey is 1,290mgd, based on supplying at least 60 gallons per day per capita. The demand-supply gap widens further during peak summer.

Relative improvement

According to the summer bulletin issued by the DJB on Monday, all nine water treatment plants are operating above the normal level. The last time DJB had reported higher than 1,000mgd supply level was on May 11, when it supplied 1001.58mgd water. The water level at the Wazirabad Barrage has also recorded a gradual rise. The recorded water level was 671.3 feet on Monday, preceded by 670.9 feet on June 1, 670.6 feet on May 31, and 670.3 feet on May 30.

The season’s lowest water supply level, as per the bulletin, was on May 27 when the supply was at 966.16mgd. The recorded supply levels (in mgd) from May 21 to May 31 were 977.79, 981.89, 984, 983.2, 980.73, 969.32, 966.16, 978.05, 976.53, 990.61 and 993.76, respectively. A shortfall of one mgd is considered to impact water supply of around 21,500 people.

Delhi depends on supply from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh for 86.5% of its raw water supply.

A DJB official said the water utility on Sunday received 210mgd water from Delhi sub branch canal, 257mgd from the carrier-lined canal (Munak), 155mgd from the Yamuna channel and 257mgd water from Upper Ganga Canal in Uttar Pradesh, all of which were above allocation levels.

Ashok Bhasin, of the north Delhi residents’ welfare federation, said that the water supply improved over the past few days. “It is still not ideal, but the supply timing as well as pressure has improved. We are now getting water supply for around two hours,” he said.

150 water tankers

The DJB issued orders to add 150 additional water tankers to its existing fleet of 811, in the wake of the supply crunch observed over the past fortnight. The maximum chunk of these additional tankers would be deputed to the south division. “In view of the intensive heatwave conditions prevailing in Delhi, the competent authority has approved engagement of additional 150 hired water tanker for the month of June 2024 in addition to already allocated tankers,” an order issued by the water utility, seen by HT, said.

Of the 150 additional water tankers, 100 units will be of 6,000-litre capacity and 50 larger ones will have 8,000-litre capacity.

“The maximum number of additional tankers are to be deployed in the south division, as it had maximum water-stressed areas. The south division will get 52 smaller and 29 units of 8,000-litre tankers. In terms of tanker distribution, the south division is followed by central and north division, which will get 37 tankers, west division will get 20 tankers and east, 12,” a DJB official, requesting anonymity, said.