Delhi's water woes: 45,000 complaints about contamination last year

India Jan 14, 2026

Delhi's tap water has been a big headache lately—DJB logged nearly 45,000 complaints about foul-smelling or muddy water between April and December 2025.
The Trans-Yamuna area was hit hardest, especially during the hot summer and rainy monsoon months when everyone needs more water.

Old pipelines to blame, fixes in the works

Many complaints were about foul smells and muddy tap water. Turns out, almost half of Delhi's pipelines are over 20 years old.
The city plans to swap these out over the next 7-8 years and is already clearing blockages and sampling water in problem spots.
DJB says engineers have been told to act fast on complaints, but with so many issues cropping up, it's clear Delhi's water system needs some serious upgrades.