UP extends South delhi water woes by eight days

Taps are expected to run dry in many parts of South Delhi for at least the next two days due to lack of sufficient water in the Ganga canal to meet the capital’s needs.

Taps are expected to run dry in many parts of South Delhi for at least the next two days due to lack of sufficient water in the Ganga canal to meet the capital’s needs.

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Uttar Pradesh has extended the duration for which the canal will remain closed — for annual cleaning — by eight days to the end of next week.

Help from Haryana
Upon requests from Delhi Jal Board (DJB), Haryana has now released additional water in the Yamuna to help Delhi tide over the shortfall. But the water from Haryana will take around two days to reach the city.

Until then, several areas especially the ones at the end of the supply network, might face water scarcity, the DJB said.

“While UP cleans the canal every year, this year it is taking longer apparently because of the upcoming Kumbh mela,” said R.K. Garg, member, water supply, DJB. “But we will distribute the available water in a way that causes least inconvenience to the people.”

Yamuna water level
In the meantime, the Yamuna water level has also reduced, making it difficult to continue raw-water supply to Bhagirathi and Sonia Vihar Water Treatment Plant from the Wazirabad Pond.

To keep the Wazirabad pond alive, DJB has had to curtail the production at Wazirabad, Bhagirathi and Sonia Vihar water treatment plants by about 15 per cent, a statement said.

Delhi receives most of its water for South and Central Delhi from Bhagirathi and Soni Vihar, the plants treating Ganga water.