Water supply hit in vast areas of Delhi as ammonia levels rise

Water supply was hit in vast parts of central, north Delhi, and under NDMC and Delhi Cantonment on Sunday due to “dangerously high” levels of ammonia in raw water.

Water supply was hit in vast parts of central, north Delhi, and under NDMC and Delhi Cantonment on Sunday due to “dangerously high” levels of ammonia in raw water.

Water supply was hit in vast parts of central, north Delhi, and under NDMC and Delhi Cantonment on Sunday due to “dangerously high” levels of ammonia in raw water. (HT File Photo)

The supply got affected as operations at Chandrawal and Wazirabad treatment plants, which supply water to these areas, had to be suspended, Delhi water minister Kapil Mishra said.

Operations at the plants had to be suspended this morning due to leakage in the carrier lined channel (CLC) that brings water from Haryana to Delhi. The situation will take at least a day to improve, he said.

As it is being repaired, water supply in the CLC has been diverted to the Yamuna river, the water of which is extremely contaminated with levels of ammonia ranging between 3.5 ppm and 4 ppm.

It cannot be treated with agents like chlorine as after coming in contact with ammonia it will produce trihalomethane which is carcinogenic in nature.

Mishra told PTI that the ammonia treatment plant, that was inaugurated by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal last year, cannot treat anything beyond 1-2 ppm.

“CLC is leaked in Haryana. We get raw water through CLC. Haryana is repairing it so we need to shut CLC. Now water coming through main river course where ammonia is dangerously high. So production from two plants stopped temporarily,” Mishra said in a series of tweets.

“No compromise on water quality. Supply to be affected for one day in areas covered by Chandrawal and Wazirabad plants. I am personally monitoring the situation and we are in constant touch with authorities in Haryana,” he tweeted.

DJB plants treat around 900 million gallons of water per day (MGD), of which Wazirabad and Chandrawal plants account for about 220 MGD.