As Yamuna runs dry, water supply in Delhi likely to be hit

The depleting water levels in the Yamuna are likely to hit water supply in Delhi. According to Delhi Jal Board (DJB) statement, Yamuna water production at water treatment plants (WTPs) had fallen by around 25 per cent on Monday and water supply is likely to be affected from Tuesday morning onwards till the pond level improves.

The water level at the Wazirabad pond had fallen to 669.40 ft, against a normal level of around 674.50 ft. The release of raw water from Haryana had also reduced, according to the statement.

Yamuna water has been a contentious issue for long between Delhi and Haryana. As per DJB, Haryana is releasing less water in Yamuna river thereby affecting water production from WTPs at Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Okhla currently. The three WTPs together produce around 230 MGD (million gallons per day) — 90 MGD from Chandrawal, 120 MGD from Wazirabad and 20 MGD from Okhla — out of the total of around 921 MGD of water as of March 2021, according to the Economic Survey of Delhi.

Haryana releasing less water, says DJB

Earlier, on May 3, the DJB had written to the Haryana Irrigation Department seeking additional water as the supply went critically low at Wazirabad triggering fear of disruption of water supply. The DJB had noted that the flow in the Carrier Lined Channel (CLC) was 563 cusecs against a required flow of 683 cusecs. On May 12, the DJB again wrote to the Haryana Irrigation Department, requesting an additional 150 cusecs of water to be released into the river.

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“The river is dry and water production at Chandrawal, Wazirabad and Okhla has fallen by around 25 per cent-30 per cent. The current level of the Wazirabad pond, which is around 669 ft, is the lowest so far this year. The water being released from Haryana is less,” a senior official of the DJB told The Indian Express.

“The quantity of water being released is less, both directly into the river and through the other sources. Demand is higher in the summer, and supply is now low with the river drying up,” the official added.

Releasing Delhi’s share, says Haryana

The DJB has written to the Haryana Irrigation Department thrice since April 30. In response to the request for additional water, the DJB was informed that the city’s share of water is being released from Haryana, the official added.

A senior official of the Haryana Irrigation Department said that temporary fluctuations in the CLC and Delhi Sub-Branch (DSB) could be likely, but the required supply is being maintained. The CLC and DSB bring water to Delhi from Haryana.

“The fluctuation is only for a few minutes before it is restored. The issue is that demand has grown in Delhi, but the share decided by the Upper Yamuna River Board has remained the same. We don’t supply water directly through the river route now, we supply through the CLC and DSB,” he said, reports The Indian Express.

In 1994, a memorandum of understanding was signed among the states of Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Himachal Pradesh on allocation of surface flow of the river to these states. In addition to the CLC and DSB, the DJB depends on drawing 120 cusecs from the river itself, which it can no longer use, since the river is mostly dry, the official said.

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