Delhi Water Crisis: Residents Forced to Spend Up to Rs 300 Daily Amid Plant Failure
Households in Civil Lines, near Hindu Rao Hospital, and adjoining areas of Delhi are grappling with a severe water crisis, spending between Rs 150 and Rs 300 daily on water due to technical problems at the Chandrawal Water Treatment Plant that have halted supply. The disruption has left families struggling to meet basic daily needs such as cooking and drinking, with many turning to public washrooms for non-drinking water to cut costs.
Affected Areas and Daily Struggles
Among the impacted neighbourhoods are Kamla Nagar, Shakti Nagar, Karol Bagh, Paharganj, Rajendra Nagar, Patel Nagar (East and West), Baljeet Nagar, Prem Nagar, Inderpuri, and NDMC areas. Residents report queuing for hours at public taps or walking to nearby localities in search of water. The erratic supply has been replaced by water of unsafe quality, exacerbating the crisis.
Om Prakash Verma, a 71-year-old resident, highlighted the mounting costs and uncertainty: "We are buying water by the gallon. There are so many issues, especially over the past few days." In Paharganj, a resident described how the shortage has disrupted routine life, noting that not everyone can afford to buy water, leading to dependence on dhabas with long queues for basic meals like dal-roti.
Resident Testimonies and Broader Impact
Rakhi Bandyopadhyay emphasized the widespread nature of the problem: "There is no water even for drinking, so we cannot even think about other needs." In some areas, residents are purchasing cheaper water from public washrooms at Rs 100 per gallon for household uses beyond drinking.
The crisis extends beyond immediate shortages. In Dwarka's Sewak Park, Nitin Agarwal (58) reported that the issue has persisted for over a year, with sewer-mixed water supplied regularly during early morning hours, forcing people to stay awake at night to access clean water briefly after 3 am. Similarly, residents of Sadar Bazaar's Rani Jhansi Complex in Motia Khan have faced problems since Sunday, with challenges in accessing water from tankers, especially for elderly residents and working families.
Authorities' Response and Technical Details
Delhi Jal Board attributed the disruption to a sudden shutdown at the Chandrawal Water Treatment Plant after a 600 mm backwash pipeline was damaged on March 22, causing flooding in the pump house and halting operations. While emergency repairs have been completed, subsequent technical faults in the pump sets delayed the full restoration of supply. Currently, partial pumping has resumed.
Vishesh Ravi, the Karol Bagh MLA, stated in a social media post that pumps have been repaired and water flow has resumed, with local reservoirs being filled. He assured: "Water supply will begin in all areas by evening. As supply is resuming after five days, the water may initially be dirty or the pressure low, but the situation will stabilise within a day or two."
The combined impact of this water crisis has left many Delhi residents in distress, highlighting urgent needs for infrastructure improvements and reliable supply systems to prevent such disruptions in the future.
