The Yamuna River has been running dry this summer, causing serious water shortages in Delhi. On June 9, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) issued the most recent notification alerting the public of water shortages. The DJB has “done rationalisation” of water in Delhi, according to the statement, and water will be distributed at reduced pressure starting June 10 till adequate water is available.
The Yamuna is responsible for around 40% of the water supply in the DJB. Haryana, which is upstream, supplies Delhi with Yamuna water. The river’s water level has been dropping this year, making it impossible for Delhi’s water treatment plants to extract raw water and satisfy demand.
The deficit is being blamed on insufficient supplies from Haryana, according to the DJB. The DJB stated in a notification dated June 9 that “less reception” of raw water has occurred in the Delhi Sub-Branch (DSB) and Carrier Lined Channel (CLC), and that water will be supplied at low pressure until “adequate water is released by Haryana in the DSB, CLC, and River Yamuna.”
The CLC and DSB transport water from Haryana’s Munak to Delhi. The DJB has written to the Haryana Irrigation Department many times since the end of April, demanding 150 cusecs of more water to satisfy the demand in Delhi. The DJB had also said in its communications that the river was dry.
The areas of the Yamuna river bed seen as it passes through Delhi are visible due to an unusually warm summer and a lack of rainfall in northwest India during the previous several months.
This year’s rainfall shortfall in northwest India was 63 percent from March to May, and the region also had the warmest March and April in 122 years.
The pond in Wazirabad, which supplies water to two of Delhi’s WTPs, has been depleted. Water production was impacted at seven out of nine WTPs in Delhi last week as some river water from other sources was diverted to Wazirabad.
The DJB has started extracting additional groundwater from tubewells to fulfil demand. To increase drinking water supply, the DJB wants to build RO facilities at six places across the city. Arvind Kejriwal, the city’s chief minister, stated earlier this month that the administration is working on recharging groundwater to enhance the city’s production capacity.
Kejriwal and DJB Vice Chairman Saurabh Bharadwaj had urged the Haryana government to supply more water last week. Haryana officials have insisted that the water owed to Delhi is being distributed.
An agreement struck in 1994 between Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh governs the distribution of river water.
