Raw water level hit again, may affect supply: Delhi Jal Board

NEW DELHI: For the third time in the past two weeks, Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has issued an advisory on water supply disruption. Many parts of the city are likely to witness water shortage from Saturday due to an alarming fall in raw water supply through the Yamuna, it stated on Friday.
Asking Delhiites to store and use water judiciously, DJB said the water levels in the Wazirabad pond, which is fed by the Yamuna, had reached 667.2ft as against the standard level of 674.5ft.Due to this and reduction in the release of raw water by Haryana into the Yamuna, water production has been curtailed at the water treatment plants in Wazirabad and Chandrawal, DJB stated. The problem will continue till the pond level improves to normal, it added.
To supply 930-940MGD water, DJB sources 612MGD water from Haryana and 254MGD from Uttar Pradesh while the rest comes from subsurface sources like tubewells and ranney wells. DJB gets around 375MGD water through the Yamuna and the two canals supplying water via Haryana. Additionally, 220MGD is sourced through the Bhakra Nangal storage.
There is usually a supply-demand gap of more than 250-260MGD in Delhi, which worsens during the summer season when the demand spikes. A senior DJB official said the Covid-19 pandemic had also led to additional water demand.
The Wazirabad and Chandrawal plants are fed directly by the Yamuna. Delhi has been recently facing frequent raw water supply shortage and release of industrial pollutants from both Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, the official said.
The areas likely to be affected are Civil Lines, Hindu Rao Hospital and adjoining areas, Kamla Nagar, Shakti Nagar and adjoining areas, Karol Bagh, Paharganj and NDMC areas, Old and New Rajendra Nagar, East and West Patel Nagar, Baljeet Nagar, Prem Nagar, and Inderpuri and adjoining areas. In south Delhi, the areas likely to be impacted include Greater Kailash, South Extension, Kalkaji, Govindpuri, Amar Colony, Tughlaqabad, Sangam Vihar, Ambedkar Nagar, and Prahladpur and adjoining area.
Ramlila Maidan, Delhi Gate, Subhash Park, Model Town, Gulabi Bagh, Punjabi Bagh, Jahangirpuri, Moolchand, Burari and adjoining areas, and parts of Cantonment areas may also be affected.
Water tankers will be available on demand through the emergency helpline, the DJB spokesperson said. The central control room can be contacted at 1916.