Parts of Delhi face water supply shortage day after canal breach

Residents in the affected areas said their taps were running dry, adding that water tankers were not made adequately available by the authorities

Large parts of southwest and northwest Delhi were hit by acute water shortage on Friday — a day after a portion of the channel-lined canal (CLC) or the Munak canal was breached, disrupting water supply to four of the nine water treatment plants (WTP) in the Capital.

The Munak canal was breached, disrupting water supply to four of the nine water treatment plants (WTP) in the Capital. (Raj K Raj/HT Photo)

Residents in the affected areas said their taps were running dry, adding that water tankers were not made adequately available by the authorities. Residents in the Dwarka sub-city were the worst affected and complaints also came from residents of areas like Matiala, Palam, and Bawana, among others.

According to the summer bulletin issued by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) on Friday morning, there was a shortfall of 93 million gallons per day (MGD) in the last 24 hours after the Haiderpur, Bawana, Nangloi and Dwarka plants did not function due to the breach. The Munak canal caters to around one-third of Delhi’s water production. According to DJB estimates, a shortfall of 1mgd affects around 21,500 people.

“There was no water throughout the day, but tankers were also not provided by DJB. Some people tried contacting DJB to pay and get tankers, but that also did not help. The officials were not responding and remained elusive,” said Sudha Sinha, a resident of Dwarka Sector 22 and president of Ek Mutthi social organisation.

Other residents complained that hauling water was a task and that the government needs to make efforts so that such emergencies do not become an annual routine.

“We were suddenly informed by the RWA that there has been some defect due to which we may not get water for two days. It was a working day and we spent our morning stocking drinking water cans. We knew there would be a shortage if we waited till the evening. We will use the drinking water for everything till the supply is restored. This happened last year as well and is unacceptable,” said Prerna Mehta, a resident of Dwarka Sector 18.

Another resident complained hauling water is a difficult task in the high-rise apartments in Dwarka, even with lifts. “There was no supply and tankers. Besides, tankers work in areas with single-storey houses. It is difficult for high-rise residents to carry buckets downstairs and get water filled to higher floors,” said Abhishek Mittal, a resident of Pocket 1, Dwarka Sector 9.

Scores of other residents from different parts of Dwarka, Palam, Sadh Nagar, Ranhola, and Madhu Vihar took to social media complaining about no supply, unaware of the shortage.

Officials said that the repair is expected to be completed by Friday night, but the water may be released only by Saturday morning after the curing of concrete is complete. Additionally, it takes about 5-6 hours for water to reach Delhi once it is released by Haryana, meaning the supply will likely be restored only after Saturday afternoon, an official from DJB said.