Deluged Delhi stares at drinking water shortage as 3 WTPs plants, including Okhla, closed
An unprecedented rise in the water level of Yamuna has been recorded in the national capital Delhi for the past three days, said the Delhi government.
The increase in the water level of the Yamuna River following the release of water from the Hathni Kund barrage in Haryana has caused a flood-like situation in Delhi. The water level in Yamuna reached the 208.53m mark at 10 am on Thursday. This is 3 meters higher than the danger mark of 205m. Due to the rising water level of Yamuna, it has been decided to close Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Okhla Water Treatment Plants in Delhi. The production of water in the Sonia Vihar Water Treatment Plant has decreased by 25 percent. The overall water production in Delhi has thus decreased by 280 MGD. Due to the closure of these three water treatment plants by the Delhi Jal Board, people in many parts of Delhi may face a shortage of drinking water for 1-2 days. Water is supplied from these plants in Central Delhi, North Delhi, South Delhi, East Delhi and North-East Delhi. In view of the current situation, the Delhi Jal Board has advised people to use water judiciously. The DJB has issued emergency helpline phone numbers of the control room for ordering water tankers or for any other problem related to the supply of drinking water.
On Thursday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal visited the Wazirabad Water Treatment Plant, located on the banks of the Yamuna, to take stock of the latest situation. Delhi Water Minister Shri Saurabh Bhardwaj and senior officers of DJB were also present. On Wednesday, the DJB Vice Chairman Shri Somnath Bharti also inspected the Wazirabad water treatment plant. He took stock of the latest situation of water level and arrangements made to deal with the floods. The water supply will be restored as soon as normalcy returns.
The raw water of Yamuna is cleaned in these water treatment plants, and the cleaned drinking water is then supplied to different areas of Delhi. Pump houses have been built at Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Okhla water treatment plants to pull raw water from the Yamuna. Due to the sudden increase in the water level of Yamuna, river water has entered into these water treatment plants, because of which the pump houses of Wazirabad, Okhla and Chandrawal plants have been completely submerged in water. Due to this submergence, the operation of the pump houses is not possible in these three plants. The raw water is not available from Yamuna, and all three water treatment plants have to be closed temporarily. Furthermore, the increase in the water level of Yamuna has also affected the functioning of the Sonia Vihar water treatment plant, which has led to a reduction of 25 percent in the production of water. The overall water production has decreased by 280 MGD.
Wazirabad, Chandrawal, Okhla and Sonia Vihar Water Treatment Plants supply water to Central Delhi, North Delhi, South Delhi, East Delhi and North East Delhi. The shutdown of these plants may affect water supply for 1-2 days in these areas – Civil Lines Area, Hindu Rao Hospital, Kamla Nagar, Patel Nagar (East & West), Karol Bagh, Paharganj, NDMC Area, Old – New Rajendra Nagar, Baljit Nagar, Prem Nagar, Inderpuri, Shastri Nagar, Kalka Ji, Govindpuri, Tughlakabad, Sangam Vihar, Ambedkar Nagar, Prahladpur, Ramlila Ground, Delhi Gate, Subhash Park, Model Town, Gulabi Bagh, Punjabi Bagh, Jahangirpuri, Moolchand, South Extension, Areas of Greater Kailash and Cantonment Area, East Delhi Area, Sonia Vihar, Yamuna Vihar, Bhajanpura, Shastri Park, Ghonda and Seemapuri.
To restrict the water crisis, Kejriwal inspected the Wazirabad Water Treatment Plant at 11 am on Thursday to personally take stock of the situation. The Chief Minister stated that people may have to face water supply-related problems for 1-2 days. He further said that three water treatment plants had to be closed today due to the sudden increase in the water levels in the Yamuna. We will start the plants as soon as the situation gets normal here.
Somnath Bharti chaired an emergency meeting today at DJB Headquarters to deal with the current situation and make alternative arrangements. The meeting was attended by Member Water, Additional Chief Engineers and senior officials of all zones. After the closure of the plants, it was discussed in the meeting to make alternative arrangements in the areas where the water supply is affected. Bharti stated that DJB officials were monitoring the situation at the water treatment plants around the clock. He further stated that he was personally taking real-time information from the DJB officials about the status of all the plants.
Bharti has also been continuously inspecting the Wazirabad Water Treatment Plant for two days. The DJB Vice Chairman visited the Wazirabad WTP today to take stock of the situation. He said: “The DJB is taking all possible steps to protect the water treatment plants from flood water. However, the three water treatment plants were forced to be closed at 9 am today due to excessive water filling. Due to the closure of these plants, the water supply in 19 assembly constituencies of Delhi is likely to be affected. About 35 percent of Delhi’s population lives in these affected assembly constituencies.”
Giving information about today’s emergency meeting, the DJB Vice Chairman added: “In the assembly constituencies where the water supply has been affected, DJB had done tanker mapping as an alternative arrangement. DJB will make alternative arrangements to provide clean drinking water to the people living in these assembly constituencies with the help of water tankers. Additional water tankers have been arranged by the officials in the affected areas.”
Water supply is expected to be affected due to the closure of the three Water Treatment Plants and reduced production at the Sonia Vihar Plant. Therefore, alternate arrangements have been made by the Delhi Jal Board for water supply. Emergency helpline numbers of the control room have been issued by the Delhi Jal Board for ordering water tankers or for any problem related to the supply of drinking water. If required, emergency helpline phone numbers issued by the Delhi Jal Board – 23527679/ 23634469 or Delhi Jal Board helpline 1916 can be contacted. In view of the current situation, the Delhi Jal Board has advised people to use water judiciously.
