Sleepless over supply: Across Delhi, water is dictating family routines

NEW DELHI: Water has become a struggle in the capital, deciding people’s sleep, work and daily routine. In several parts of the city, households are setting alarms with one person assigned to stay up at night and monitor taps in hope of catching the water supply.

In some areas, a family member stays at home or even skips work to wait for tankers so that water can be collected whenever it arrives.From upscale neighbourhoods in the south to densely populated areas in east and north Delhi, residents say the crisis is no longer limited to shortage.

While some areas are struggling with low pressure and reduced supply hours, others are getting contaminated, foul-smelling or muddy water, forcing families to depend on private tankers, bottled water and other costly alternatives.Some pour Dettol into buckets before using the water while others rely on different purification methods.Up At 3am For Water, Worried What’s In ItSeveral residents claim they have even found bugs and other impurities in the water.Tapping the elusive water supply has become a major family chore. People are keeping buckets ready and carefully measuring every mug of water. Many residents say they feel embarrassed inviting guests to their homes because they have to explain how carefully water should be used — from not using tap water for gargling to avoiding bathing without purifying the water.

Residents of Greater Kailash (GK-1) said the water situation remains difficult, with unpredictable supply timings and extremely low pressure.“The water situation is very grim this summer. Even where supply is available, the pressure is extremely low. People often have to rely on tankers. We also use borewell water but its quality is poor and needs purification before use,” said RWA member Rajiv Kakria, adding that the biggest challenge is the uncertainty over supply timings.He said water is available for only two to three hours, forcing residents to monitor taps at 3am or 4am. “In many households, one family member stays awake to check when water starts flowing. In our WhatsApp colony group, someone takes responsibility every day to check the supply as the timing is uncertain and pressure is very low,” he said.The crisis spans several areas of the colony, including E, Cand S blocks, Kakria added.In old Delhi’s Sadar Bazaar, a resident, Kavita Rani, said the quality of supplied water has deteriorated significantly. “If you dip your hand in the water, it starts smelling. Same with the buckets in which we store the water. We wash these properly before reuse,” she said.In Seelampur, east Delhi, residents said they have not received potable water for over two months and are spending money daily to arrange for safe drinking water.Radha, a 37-year-old house help and resident of the area, said even a small additional expense is difficult for families like hers, but now they have to spend Rs 50 every day on drinking water. “Even a single rupee matters for us, but now buying water has become unavoidable. I also fill bottles and bring water home whenever I step out for work,” she said.Residents living near the local bazaar and police station of the locality said people were travelling several kilometres to collect water as they cannot afford to buy it regularly.In several parts of north Delhi, too, TOI found people are facing problems of low pressure and contamination. A north Delhi RWA member said water supply has reduced by 30 minutes while the pressure has fallen sharply. “A bucket that earlier took two-three minutes to fill now takes eight-nine minutes,” he said. Every other day, residents receive contaminated water, creating additional health concerns, he added.A Model Town resident said contamination complaints were common in the area.

Mahendra Bindal, a 66year-old retired resident who has been living in the locality for nearly 45 years said, three days ago, he noticed a water bug in the supply. Bindal said he shared videos and pictures in the colony WhatsApp group to keep residents informed.Despite repair work by the Delhi Jal Board and assurances that the contamination problem would be resolved, residents of Hauz Khas continue to complain about poor water quality.

Residents alleged that muddy and foulsmelling water continues to flow from taps, with some households sending samples for laboratory testing.Shandhya Verma, a Hauz Khas resident, said water quality has been fluctuating wildly. “For the last few days, the morning water supply has had black particles floating in it which later dissolve. Before that, the water was cloudy, then clear for a few days, and then became dirty again,” she said.In Malviya Nagar, residents said they are receiving water only for a brief period and at unpredictable hours. Many families are forced to wake up early in the morning, store whatever water they can and manage their daily needs with it.Residents claimed that water availability has reduced over the years, with shortages peaking during summer.In west Delhi’s Kirti Nagar, residents said contamination has been a long-standing issue.

A resident said the situation has remained poor for a long time and people are using different methods to clean the water. He said his family adds disinfectants to water before use and buys drinking water separately.He added that people are facing skin-related problems and said inviting guests has become embarrassing as family members have to guide visitors on how to use the water to avoid infections or skin issues.In Janakpuri, residents said the contamination issue has improved compared to last month but irregularities and concerns over water quality continue. Resident Rajiv Passi said the problem has not been completely resolved.Earlier this month, residents of south Delhi’s Gulmohar Park raised concerns over foul-smelling and contaminated water supply. Residents alleged that the problem plagues several lanes with some reporting illnesses and even hospitalisation.Following complaints, the DJB launched a pilot project in Gulmohar Park by installing an online water analyser to monitor supply quality in real time. The system tracks parameters including pH, disinfectant levels, total dissolved solids (TDS) and other indicators to identify contamination or irregularities.An official said govt was working to address all water-related issues in Delhi. Multiple civic works are underway to tackle problems ranging from water shortages to contamination. He said old pipelines are being replaced and additional water supply being arranged while DJB deploys water tankers to support residents. He added that several new STPs (sewage treatment plants) are also being constructed and new pipelines being laid.Issues relating to water supply cannot be fixed in a day as the situation has developed over decades, theofficial added.