New Delhi: The devastating flash floods in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district on Monday hit the water supply of thousands of Delhi residents. Water supplies were cut to tens of thousands residents as authorities blamed the high quantities of mud and debris from glacier disaster for the water shortage.
The Rishiganga valley in Uttarakhand state is 530 kilometres (330 miles) upstream to the northeast of Delhi but its water is a key supplier for the national capital.
The Uttarakhand flash flood left more than 50 people dead, over 150 missing and swept through the valley devastating a power complex and destroying roads and bridges.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) said that high turbidity in water from the upper Ganga canal has been reduced by up to 90 per cent and the water supply from Bhagirathi Water Treatment Plant will resume by Monday evening.
DJB vice chairman Raghav Chadha, who was at Bhagirathi WTP for an inspection, said, “Turbidity that had increased to unprecedented levels of 8,000 NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Unit) has been reduced by up to 90 per cent and we are expecting that Bhagirathi WTP will start treating and supplying water at its full capacity by today evening.”
Chadha further said that turbidity in water that was measured up to 882 NTU at Sonia Vihar WTP, has been reduced up to 40 per cent.
“DJB is still working relentlessly to bring Sonia Vihar WTP to its full function. We had to reduce the capacity of water treatment at both Sonia Vihar and Bhagirathi WTP due to increase in turbidity in the water coming to Delhi through upper Ganga canal,” Chadha added.
The Uttarakhand disaster led to higher debris and silt and resulted in unprecedented increase of turbidity in the water that impacted water supply in east, south and northwest Delhi areas since the last two days.
Sonia Vihar WTP and Bhagirathi WTP together provide around 800 MGD water daily in different locations in the national capital.
(With inputs from IANS)