Water crisis continues even as production starts at shut treatment plants

Water supply to over 1 lakh households in north and central Delhi as pollution levels in the Yamuna rose to dangerous levels

The water crisis triggered by the shutdown of Delhi Jal Board treatment plants continued on Monday even as water production started in Wazirabad, Okhla and Chandrawal.

Three major water treatment plants had to be shut down due to high ammonia level in the raw water from the Yamuna.(Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)

“Due to rise in pollution in the Yamuna, the production of drinking water was curtailed at Wazirabad, Okhla and Chandrawal water treatment plants. The ammonia level had risen to 3.8 ppm against the permissible limit of 0.2 ppm, in the raw water available at the plants. The water supply under the command areas of these WTPs will be fully restored by Tuesday morning,” a DJB release said.

Water supply to over one lakh households in several areas in north and central Delhi was hit since Sunday as the two treatment plants at Wazirabad and Chandrawal ceased operations. Besides high ammonia levels, water treatment was also affected because of the leakage in the carrier lined channel (CLC).

On Monday morning, however, the situation improved as production in the plants started partially and were increased in phases throughout the day, Delhi Jal Board CEO Keshav Chandra told HT.

Read: Rs 6,000-cr Yamuna clean-up project hits fund hurdle

The affected localities included Chandni Chowk, Jama Masjid, Civil Lines, Subhash Park, Dwarka, Mukherjee Nagar, Shakti Nagar, Adarsh Nagar, Model Town, Jahangirpuri, Wazirpur Industrial Area, Punjabi Bagh, Lajpat Nagar and Kalkaji, among others. At these places, residents had to face a tough time throughout the day.

Payal Yadav, a resident of Dwarka Sector-19, said the water supply was hit in their neighbourhood on Sunday and on Monday. After a long wait, it was on Monday evening that a Delhi Jal Board (DJB) water tanker reached the locality.

“The tanker was emptied in the colony’s main tank but since we got just one tanker everybody did not get water. The houses in the front row received water but the ones in the end did not,” Yadav said.

Many took to social media to vent their anger.

Payel Bhattacharya, a resident of Golf Links Residency in Dwarka, tweeted tagging Delhi’s water minister, Kapil Mishra, asking him when the water supply will be resumed.

Read: Delhi pollution level alarming post Diwali, people complain of ‘zero visibility’

“I’m a patient. I’ve had two surgeries can you please send water tankers to Golf Link Residency Dwarka. Please help!” she tweeted.

DJB officials say tankers were available on call for those who did not get supply and the situation will normalise by Tuesday.

More water woes

Because of flushing programme of underground reservoir and booster pumping station, water supply will be available at low pressure on Tuesday at Sukhdev Vihar DDA Flats, Multani Dhanda, Paharganj, Paschim Vihar, Madipur, Multan Nagar, Punjabi Bagh, Mera Bagh, Syad Gaon area, Rana Pratap Bagh, Adrash Nagar, Model Down, Sangam Park, Geeta Colony, Laxmi Nagar and Ramesh Park.

On Wednesday, too, Sarai Julena DDA Flats, Shastri Park, Inderlok, Gulabi Bagh DDA flats, Pratap Nagar, Sarai Rohilla, Sarai Basti, Ashok Vihar Extention, complete Keshav Puram, Rampura, Golden Park, Ashok Park, Tri Nagar, Geeta Colony, Laxmi Nagar and Ramesh Park will get less water than usual.

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