Taps run dry for third day in parts of Delhi
By IANSWednesday, February 16, 2011
NEW DELHI - People in parts of the capital suffered from a water crunch for the third consecutive day Wednesday as supplies remained affected due to a high level of ammonia in the Yamuna waters.
The water supply was hit in north, north west, central and parts of west and south Delhi as two water treatment plants at Wazirabad and Chandrawal were not functional.
“The level of ammonia in water is 1 part per million (ppm), which is above the permissible 0.6 ppm. Some water is being released but that is not fit for drinking as it has high level of ammonia and should only be used for other household chores,” Delhi Jal Board (DJB) spokesperson Sanjam Cheema told IANS.
She said the ammonia level is expected to some down to within the permissible limits by Wednesday evening.
The ammonia level in water had risen to 1.4 part per million (ppm) Monday following indiscriminate discharge of industrial and domestic waste into the river from Panipat in Haryana.
Residents of Delhi expressed anguish over not being informed in advance about the disruption in water supply by the authorities.
“It is so difficult to manage routine chores without water. I have been buying distilled water from the market for the last two days and we are bathing and washing utensils with bottled water. There is no tanker facility available,” an angry housewife Ritu Singh said.
Some people have temporarily shifted with friends or relatives. “I have moved to my sister’s house in east Delhi for three days as it was impossible to manage without water. I will stay with her till the water supply resumes,” a college student Asha Gulati said.
