Delhi's water crisis eases as Yamuna's ammonia levels drop
Delhi's water supply is almost back to normal after days of stress.
The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) said several canal-based WTPs — Haiderpur, Bawana, Dwarka and Nangloi — and Chandrawal and Okhla were operating at full capacity, while the Wazirabad WTP was operating at around 85% capacity as of Saturday night;
ammonia levels were declining but remained at about 2.5 ppm, above the DJB's 1 ppm treatment threshold.
This has restored supply to nearly normal levels in many areas, though some neighborhoods are still experiencing low pressure or intermittent flow.
What actually happened?
The trouble started when ammonia in the river shot up—way past what DJB plants can handle—thanks to a canal diversion and a maintenance shutdown by Haryana.
With less clean water coming in, parts of Delhi went dry, affecting thousands of households in north, west, northwest and central Delhi.
DJB had to pause some maintenance work and issue warnings about upcoming water cuts while they flushed out reservoirs.
Why does it matter?
This episode highlights how fragile Delhi's water supply can be, especially during winter when key canals close for maintenance.
It also exposed gaps—like the lack of proper ammonia removal at Wazirabad—that make the city vulnerable.
For anyone living here, it's a reminder that something as basic as clean tap water isn't always guaranteed.