Delhi battles to quench its thirst every summer, and why it could get worse this year
Delhi Jal Board (DJB), which manages water distribution to 2.7 million registered consumers, struggles every year in summers with both water quality and quantity. The national capital relies heavily on supplies from neighboring states and facing challenges in meeting growing demand.
A severe water shortage during last year's summer led to restrictions and fines for water misuse. Tragically, a dispute over water resulted in a fatality in East Delhi. The Delhi government blamed Haryana for the crisis, alleging reduced water supply. The political tension between the two states escalated, with Delhi's then-water minister staging a protest.
Delhi's water allocation, based on a 1994 agreement with neighboring states, is set to expire in 2025, raising concerns about future supplies. A government source highlighted the disparity in water allocation: “Delhi's share of water has been constant at 1,005MGD since 1994. Delhi, whose population has grown three times since 1994 to 3 crore, receives 1,005 MGD of water, while Haryana, with a population also of 3 crore, receives 6,500 MGD of river water.” A long-delayed dam project in Himachal Pradesh, intended to supplement Delhi's water resources, remains incomplete.
Despite increased water production since 2020, reaching 990-1,000 million gallons per day (MGD), Delhi's estimated water requirement of 1,290 MGD remains unmet, according to the Economic Survey of Delhi. To address the deficit, the Delhi government has focused on restoring existing lakes and creating artificial ones.
