Water shortage likely in parts of South Delhi on Friday and Saturday

For more than a month, the DJB has been facing problems in treating water as the three plants at Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Haidarpur have not been running at full capacity since January 30 due to high levels of ammonia in the Yamuna.

Residents of a few South Delhi colonies should brace for water shortage in the next couple of days.

For more than a month, the DJB has been facing problems in treating water as the three plants at Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Haidarpur have not been running at full capacity since January 30 due to high levels of ammonia in the Yamuna. (Representative photo)

Delhi Jal Board repair work will affect parts of Delhi Cantonment, New Delhi Municipal Council areas, RK Puram, Moti Bagh, Nanak Pura, Vasant Vihar, Vasant Enclave, Shanti Niketan, Westend Colony, AIIMS, Safdarjang Hospital and adjoining areas serviced by the Palam reservoir.

“Due to interconnection work at the 1,000mm Palam main water line near Army Medical College in Delhi Cantonment, water supply will not be available or will be available at low pressure on Friday evening and Saturday morning in these areas. Residents are advised to store adequate water for their use,” a DJB release stated.

Water tankers will be provided on request by calling 1916, 23527679, 23538495 (Central Control Room), 26100644, 26193218 (RK Puram water emergency), 29234746, 29234747 (Greater Kailash water emergency), 26137216 (Vasant Kunj water emergency), 23533083, 9650291494 (nodal officer: executive engineer (Proj.)-W-VIII), 27552447, 9650291252 (nodal officer: executive engineer (E&M)-HP-II).

For more than a month, the DJB has been facing problems in treating water as the three plants at Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Haidarpur have not been running at full capacity since January 30 due to high levels of ammonia in the Yamuna.

Of the 900 MGD of water distributed in Delhi, nearly 60% comes from Haryana through the Yamuna. The toxic water not only is unfit to be treated for drinking, it also poisons the groundwater and any fruit and vegetable that grows on its floodplain, experts say.

After directions from the NGT, the Central Pollution Control Board submitted its analysis of ammonia at Tajewala in Haryana, Wazirabad water treatment plant, Okhla and at ITO barrage in Delhi.

The analysis showed the level of ammonia in Yamuna exceeded the safe limit in 13 of 17 places between Haryana and Delhi and that most of the ammonia was coming from drains in Delhi. At Delhi Gate, Najafgarh and Sonia Vihar, the ammonia level was at least 35-45 times higher than what the DJB is equipped to treat, the report said.