Wazirabad, Chandrawal water treatment plants 'stop' operations as ammonia level rises

Water supply to several areas of the national capital was affected on Monday after the Chandrawal and Wazirabad water treatment plants were forced to "stop" operations upon noticing spike in ammonia levels due to dumping of industrial waste in the Yamuna in Haryana.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is also the Delhi Jal Board chairman, said that he was monitoring the situation closely and has directed the DJB to ensure "no part of Delhi goes dry, even if it means diverting water from other plants to Wazirabad".

"High ammonia levels due to industrial waste being dumped into the Yamuna at Panipat has forced Chandrawal and Wazirabad Water Treatment Plants to stop operations," the chief minister tweeted.

He said the Haryana government has given the assurance that it would release additional water in the river soon to dilute the ammonia concentration.

The DJB, in a statement, said discharge of high level of pollutants in the Yamuna in Haryana impacted operations at Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Okhla water treatment plants.

The ammonia level in the Yamuna increased to 3.2 mg/litre on Monday morning.

As a result of continuous efforts to rationalize water supply, all three water treatment plants in Wazirabad are running at their full capacity and the ammonia level in Yamuna has decreased to 1.6 mg/l, the DJB said.

Water will be available at low pressure for a few more days, or till the situation becomes completely normal. The affected areas include parts of Northeast Delhi, West Delhi, North Delhi, Central Delhi, South Delhi, including Delhi Cantt, and New Delhi Municipal Council areas.

"The public is advised to make judicious use of water tankers," the DJB said.