Water shortages worsened in large parts of Delhi on Friday, with residents in several neighborhoods reporting taps running dry for days, growing reliance on tankers and rising concerns about pollution, while authorities offered little clarity on when normal supplies would be restored.
While complaints of low pressure and supply disruptions have increased over the past week, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) and the Delhi government have not issued any public consultation or detailed statement acknowledging the scale of the crisis. Officials confirmed that the practice of issuing daily summer water bulletins, which was followed in previous years, stopped last year and has not resumed this summer.
Water Department officials said the city is currently facing a deficit of 90 to 100 million gallons per day, which means a roughly 10% reduction in supplies across several areas. Water production in Wazirabad, Chanderwal and parts of Hyderpur water treatment plants has also been affected due to reduced availability of raw water in the Yamuna river.
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A DJB official, requesting anonymity, said the situation was unlikely to improve immediately despite scattered rains in the city.
“Rain alone will not help much. The river level will improve only when there is continuous rain in the upstream states where the Yamuna flows,” the official said.
Residents in north, south, west and east Delhi said a lack of communication from authorities had exacerbated difficulties, leaving many unsure about supply timing or restoration schedules.
In Model Town and neighboring Mohan Park, residents said the water supply had been cut for nearly four days.
“There is no information from DJB. We don’t know whether water will come in the morning or evening or not at all. People are staying awake till late at night waiting for supplies,” said Ashok Bharti, a resident of Mohan Park.
In Sudarshan Park in west Delhi, residents claimed that several lanes had not received any supply or contaminated water for the past five to six days.
Several complaints posted on social media over the past two days showed that residents of Rohini, Shahdara, Bhola Nath Nagar, Model Town and West Delhi reported prolonged disruption in supplies and poor response from helplines.
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Residents have also reported an increase in contaminated water supplies, especially in colonies receiving low-pressure supplies.
“There are complaints of dirty water and bad smell as the pipelines remain empty for long periods. Once the pressure drops, pollution becomes a big problem,” another DJB official said.
Talks with Haryana on additional raw water are ongoing, officials said. However, no further aid had been received as of Friday evening, other than about 63 million gallons per day of additional water released three days earlier.
The political row over the crisis also intensified on Friday, with the Aam Aadmi Party accusing the BJP-led Delhi government of under-reporting the extent of the shortage.
