The production capacity at Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Okhla water treatment plants in India has dipped as the Yumana has “almost dried up,” according to officials from the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), reported NDTV.
This is exacerbating the already existent drinking water problems in several areas in Delhi.
An official of the DJB said water supply from these plants has reduced by up to 40%, leading to a shortage of 98 MGD of water.
"The Yamuna has almost dried up. The water level in the Wazirabad pond has dipped to 669.40 feet, the lowest this year so far,” said the official, reported NDTV. “Consequently, the production capacity at Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Okhla water treatment plants has further dropped to 60 to 70%.”
The level in the Wazirabad is at 670.40 feet versus its normal levels of 674.50 feet, reported NDTV, then dropping to 667 feet on Jul. 11, 2021.
In 2021 the board moved the Supreme Court to seek directions to Haryana to release additional water in the Yamuna by writing to the Haryana Irrigation Department three times, reported NDTV. Haryana supplies 610 MGD to Delhi through two canals, The Carrier Lined Channel (CLC) and Delhi Sub-Branch (DSB), which are supplied water from Hathni Kund via Munak canal and the Bhakra Beas Management Board.
NDTV also reports that Delhi receives 253 MGD from Uttar Pradesh through the Upper Ganga Canal while 90 MGD comes from ranney wells and tube wells in the city.
The three water treatment plants are Chandrawal, Wazirabad and Okhla have a capacity of 90 MGD, 135 MGD and 20 MGD, respectively, reported NDTV. They serve drinking water to northeast Delhi, west Delhi, north Delhi, central Delhi, south Delhi, including Delhi Cantonment, and New Delhi Municipal Council areas.
Delhi requires approximately 1,200 MGD of water and the DJB supplies approximately 950 MGD, reported NDTV.
According to NDTV, the government wants to increase the water supply to 1,180 MGD by June 2023.
