Delhi water crisis: Water level in Yamuna lowest since 1965, supply to be hit again today

Delhi water crisis: The water level in the Wazirabad pond stood at 666.8 feet, the lowest since 1965, as against the normal of 674.5 feet.

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New Delhi: Water supply will remain affected in many parts of Delhi on Thursday (June 30) due to Haryana releasing less water in the Yamuna and two canals, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) said on Wednesday. The water level in the Wazirabad pond stood at 666.8 feet, the lowest since 1965, as against the normal of 674.5 feet. Besides less water is being received from Haryana through the Carrier Lined Canal (CLC) and the Delhi Sub Branch (DSB), the utility said.

Operations at the Wazirabad and Chandrawal WTPs have been hit. Water supply will remain affected till the situation improves, it said. Chandrawal and Wazirabad have a treatment capacity of 90 MGD and 135 MGD, respectively.

Water supply to be hit in northeast Delhi, west Delhi, central Delhi and other areas

Water will be available at low pressure in northeast Delhi, west Delhi, north Delhi, central Delhi, south Delhi, including Delhi Cantonment, and New Delhi Municipal Council areas, the DJB added.

The DJB's water supply capacity increased to 990 MGD earlier this year, but the utility hasn't been able to touch this mark for over a month, primarily due to Haryana releasing less water in the river, according to officials.

Delhi Jal Board has done rationalization of water in whole Delhi. The water production has been affected adversely in Chandrawal and Wazirabad Water Treatment Plants. The water supply will be available at low pressure in the morning and evening of 30.06.2022#DJB4U

— Delhi Jal Board (@DelhiJalBoard) June 29, 2022

The utility had on June 18 written another letter, the ninth time since April 30, requesting Haryana to release water from the Somb, a tributary of the Yamuna, in addition to increasing the flow in the river and the two canals.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had earlier this month requested Haryana to release additional water in the Yamuna on humanitarian grounds.

Delhi requires around 1,380 MGD of water, while the DJB supplies around 990 MGD.

Haryana supplies a total of 610 million gallons of water a day to Delhi through two canals -- CLC (368 MGD) and DSB (177) -- and the Yamuna (65 MGD).

CLC and the DSB are supplied water from Hathni Kund via Munak canal and Bhakra Beas Management Board. Besides, Delhi receives 253 MGD from Uttar Pradesh through the Upper Ganga Canal, and the rest is drawn from ranney wells and tube wells installed across the city.