City faces supply crisis as high ammonia shuts two water plants

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Owing to an “abnormal rise” in the ammonia level at Wazirabad pond, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) was “forced to shut down” two water treatment plants (WTPs) at Wazirabad and Chandrawal on Tuesday.
The move is likely to trigger a water crisis in the city, which may affect nearly one-third of its population.
DJB officials said the ammonia level in Wazirabad pond has touched an all-time high of 2.6 miligram per litre (mgl) as opposed to the limit of 0.2 mgl. As a result, production of potable water from the two WTPs — which supply around 220 million gallons daily — has been stopped.
“The raw water supply from the Yamuna has been affected due to industrial pollutants from the Sonepat and Panipat drains,” a DJB official said.
“If necessary steps are not taken immediately, people in the capital may have to face acute shortage of water in the coming days. Therefore, the matter is being pursued with the neighbouring state,” the official said.
With plants closed down, water supply to Old, Central, North and South Delhi as well as areas under New Delhi Municipal Council will “remain badly affected”.
Even though drinking water will be supplied through tankers in these areas, the DJB has asked residents to contact their zonal offices or call 1916 for emergency. “Normal production shall be restored as soon as the pollution level recedes,” a DJB statement said.
The DJB also claimed that while the issue of “untreated discharge of industrial waste” into the Yamuna had been raised repeatedly, the Haryana government has not taken any concrete measures to check it.
“In a meeting which was held two years ago at the level of the chief ministers of Delhi and Haryana, the Haryana government had assured that it would take long-term measures to manage pollution from Panipat drain. But nothing has been done,” the official said.

- See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/cit....rikwyH3M.dpuf



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