Parts of Delhi are witnessing water supply disruptions as temperatures continue to soar across the Capital. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has extended its orange alert for heatwave conditions till May 28, while residents in multiple neighbourhoods say the situation is becoming increasingly difficult to manage.
Heatwave conditions continue across Delhi
Delhi recorded another extremely hot day on Friday, with the maximum temperature touching 43.3 C at Safdarjung, the city’s base weather station, per a report by Hindustan Times.
The Ridge station reported an even higher temperature of 44.4 C. Although the IMD did not officially classify the day as a heatwave, temperatures remained significantly high.
According to the IMD, Delhi is expected to see maximum temperatures between 43C and 45C on Saturday, which may further rise to 44C to 46C between May 24 and May 28. Officials said surrounding regions, including Haryana and Chandigarh, are also likely to remain under heatwave conditions, as per Hindustan Times.
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Residents report irregular supply and low pressure
Complaints related to delayed water supply and poor pressure emerged from areas including Vasant Vihar, Dwarka, Moti Bagh, and parts of north Delhi.
Aby Johnson, general secretary of the Vasant Kunj Pocket-B Residents Welfare Association, was quoted as saying by HT, “The supply-related issue has been going on for a week.” He added that residents had to wait hours longer than usual for underground reservoirs to fill and that much of the day was spent managing water needs.
In north Delhi, RWA president Ashok Bhasin said supply duration had reduced by nearly an hour. “It used to come from 5.30 am to 8 am. Now it comes only till 7 am,” he said, adding that low pressure and dirty water during the initial minutes of supply had become common. He also noted a rise in the cost of packaged water cans.
Residents in Dwarka and Moti Bagh described increasing dependence on private water tankers and water storage in buckets and containers due to uncertainty in supply timings.
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Demand-supply gap widens in summer
Per HT, officials said Delhi’s daily water demand during peak summer reaches nearly 1,250 million gallons per day, while average supply remains around 1,000 MGD. The shortage becomes worse during heatwave periods because of higher household consumption and evaporation losses.
Delhi Jal Board officials acknowledged the pressure on supply and said around 1,000 water tankers have been deployed across the city. Nearly 6,500 tanker rounds are being carried out daily to support affected areas.
Officials also said efforts to increase treatment capacity at the Wazirabad water treatment plant have been impacted by rising ammonia levels in the Yamuna, which have affected raw water quality and disrupted operations.
