Delhi water shortage to impact THESE areas as DJB to rationalise supply due to high ammonia levels in Yamuna river

Delhi: The national capital will face potential water shortages due to high ammonia levels in the Yamuna river at the Wazirabad pond. The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has decided to rationalise the water supply by reducing the amount of water from other plants by 5 to 10 percent until the situation improves.

“Due to regular receipt of high pollutant in river Yamuna at Wazirabad pond, the Delhi Jal Board is enduring to rationalise the water supply; the water production will be curtailed 5 to 10 per cent from the Haiderpur Phase-I, Phase-II, Bawana, and Dwarka WTPs till the situation improves,” said the DJB's latest statement, reported PTI.

Which areas will be impacted

Due to reduced water production at the Wazirabad Water Treatment Plant (WTP) and the diversion of water from other plants, several neighbourhoods across Delhi will be impacted. These include: Majnu Ka Tila, ISBT, GPO, the NDMC area, Defence Colony, South Extension, Greater Kailash, Punjabi Bagh, Shalimar Bagh, and parts of South Delhi, among others.

Additionally, areas served by the treatment plants in Haiderpur, Bawana, and Dwarka will also experience disruptions. This includes regions such as Pitampura, Rohini, Paschim Vihar, and Dwarka.

Ammonia contamination in Yamuna River

In the Yamuna River, ammonia concentrations exceeding 5.0 ppm have reduced water production at the Wazirabad Water Treatment Plant, which is now operating at 25-50 percent of its capacity, according to an official statement from the Delhi Jal Board (DJB). The DJB has also urged residents to use water judiciously during this period, and water tankers are being made available on demand, reported PTI.

Water shortage in North Delhi

Ammonia contamination remains an ongoing issue in the Yamuna, frequently impacting Delhi’s water supply. Ashok Bhasin, the head of the North Delhi Residents Welfare Federation, stated that many neighbourhoods in north Delhi had been receiving less water during the morning supply hours on Sundays.

“There was no supply at all during the evening supply hours. Additionally, due to low pressure, many residents have complained about contaminated water. We have received complaints from Timarpur, Sabzi Mandi, Azad Market, Sadar, and Ghantaghar,” Hindustan Times quoted Bhasin as saying.