Yamuna nearly dried up, supply from water treatment plants down by 40 per cent

NEW DELHI:  The production capacity at Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Okhla water treatment plants (WTPs) has dipped further as the Yamuna has “almost dried up”, compounding drinking water problems in several areas in Delhi, officials said on Monday. A DJB official said water supply from these plants reduced by up to 40 per cent.

“The Yamuna has almost dried up. The water level in the Wazirabad water works pond has dipped to 669.40 feet, the lowest this year so far. Consequently, the production capacity at Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Okhla water treatment plants has further dropped to 60-70 per cent,” the official said. The level in the Wazirabad pond stood at 670.40 feet on Saturday against the normal level of 674.50 feet.

The pond level had dropped to 667 feet on July 11 last year, prompting the DJB to move the Supreme Court seeking directions to Haryana to release additional water in the Yamuna. The DJB has thrice written to the Haryana Irrigation Department in this connection in a fortnight -- on May 12, May 3 and April 30.

Haryana supplies a total of 610 million gallons of water a day to Delhi through two canals -- CLC and DSB -- and the Yamuna. Delhi requires 1,200 MGD of water, while the DJB supplies 950 MGD. The government has targeted increasing the supply to 1,180 MGD by June 2023.