For a week starting Thursday, residents of east and south Delhi might have to manage their daily bathing, washing, cooking and drinking with just a bucket and a half of water.
The Upper Ganga Canal that supplies most of the water to the city's Bhagirathi treatment plant has been shut off near Haridwar. By April 23-24, the water level in the conduit channel will drop close to zero. The plant will have very little water to treat, and taps in many of the areas it supplies are likely to go dry.
On Monday, Delhi Jal Board (DJB) officials said they would arrange water from Haryana to make up for the shortfall. But it was not clear how this water will reach our homes from the Wazirabad barrage (where the water from Haryana will arrive). The pumping station in Wazirabad does not have the capacity to handle the required volumes. In the absence of the Ganga water, south and east Delhi will be left with 20 mgd from Wazirabad, 25 mgd of underground water and 3 mgd from the ranney wells by the Yamuna.
After transmission and distribution losses, the 4 million people in east and south Delhi will be left with just 32 mgd. This is 8 gallons of water per person per day, or roughly a bucket and a half. For the record, the BIS specifies a minimum of 45 gallons, or eight and a half buckets of water.
{{/usCountry}}After transmission and distribution losses, the 4 million people in east and south Delhi will be left with just 32 mgd. This is 8 gallons of water per person per day, or roughly a bucket and a half. For the record, the BIS specifies a minimum of 45 gallons, or eight and a half buckets of water.
{{/usCountry}}What can DJB do? Not much, except pressing into service all its 950 tankers.
What can you do? Buy water.
Down to a bucket and a half a day
* South and east Delhi get at least six buckets (120 lt) of water per person per day, but from Thursday, they won't. This is why
* Ganga water supply cut off. You lose 4 buckets
* T&D losses of what remains cost you 1/2 a bucket
* You are left with one and a half buckets instead of 6
The basis for the calculation:
The total normal supply is 128 mgd of water. 80 mgd (about 60%) of this comes from the Ganga. Underground water, the Yamuna and ranney wells make up the rest. So south and east Delhi's 40 lakh people will have to make do with 48 mgd of water a day. Or a bucket and a half per capita, after subtracting T&D losses.