Yamuna level low, water woes in Delhi to continue despite increase in supply from Haryana

3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Jun 9, 2026 12:18 PM IST

According to senior DJB officials, Delhi’s water treatment plants are currently producing around 945 million gallons per day (MGD), up from about 890 MGD after Haryana released additional water through the Munak canal system. However, the production remains well below the city's summer requirement of over 1,200 MGD.(File Photo)

The water crisis in Delhi is likely to persist in despite a recent push in the amount of raw water received from Haryana, with Delhi Jal Board (DJB) officials saying that production is still below normal due to low levels in the Yamuna.

According to senior DJB officials, Delhi’s water treatment plants are currently producing around 945 million gallons per day (MGD), up from about 890 MGD after Haryana released additional water through the Munak canal system. However, the production remains well below the city’s summer requirement of over 1,200 MGD.

The worst hit are broadly parts of North, Central and New Delhi, including Civil Lines, Karol Bagh, Patel Nagar, Rajendra Nagar, Kamla Nagar, Model Town and adjoining areas.

To manage the shortfall, the DJB has rationalised supply in several areas by extending water supply hours in the morning, while curtailing evening distribution in water-deficit localities.

“There is shortage of supply from the Yamuna,” a senior DJB official said, adding that the situation will not normalise unless the water level of the river rises. The official also said that the situation is expected to improve over the next couple of days as the impact of the additional release is felt across the system.

The ongoing shortage, officials said, is linked to reduced flows in the Yamuna, which have constrained raw water availability for key treatment plants, particularly Wazirabad and Chandrawal. Last month, the Delhi government approached Haryana seeking additional water after water levels at the Wazirabad pond — the key reservoir which stores Yamuna water before it is treated and distributed — fell significantly below the level required for normal operations.

Following the request, Haryana increased supplies through the Carrier Lined Channel and Delhi Sub Branch systems, which feed Delhi’s Munak canal network.

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The additional water helped improve overall production, though officials said it has not been sufficient to fully bridge the gap between supply and demand.

Meanwhile, another senior DJB official said that the shortage has particularly affected tail-end localities under the command areas of the Wazirabad and Chandrawal water treatment plants, where residents have reported low water pressure and irregular supply over the past several days.

Experts say that such conditions can also heighten concerns over water quality. Low-pressure supply systems are more vulnerable to contamination, particularly in areas served by ageing pipelines.

The Delhi government had previously estimated that nearly 40% of the city’s water is lost through leakages and distribution inefficiencies, prompting plans for large-scale upgrades of the network under a proposed Water Master Plan which is in the works, according to PWD officials.

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Delhi’s average water demand rises sharply during the summer months, touching around 1,200-1,250 MGD, while production depends heavily on supplies received from neighbouring states through the Yamuna, Bhakra and Munak systems.

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Sophiya Mathew is a Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in New Delhi. She joined the Delhi bureau in 2024, and has specialization in Integrated Multimedia Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai.

Professional Background

Core Beats: Her reporting is primarily focused on the Environment and Education.

Specialization: She has gained recognition for her ground-level reporting on the Yamuna floodplains and the socio-economic challenges faced by those living on its banks. She also focuses on the disparities in Delhi's education system, ranging from elite private schools to government institutions and refugee education.

Recent Notable Articles (December 2025)

Her recent work has been heavily centered on Delhi's severe winter pollution crisis and the government's regulatory responses:

1. The Air Pollution Crisis

"A tale of two cities: Delhi govt schools choke in bad air, private classrooms set up air filters" (Dec 20, 2025): A high-impact feature contrasting the "Clean Air Bubbles" in elite schools with the reality of government school students who are exposed to an equivalent of 17 cigarettes a day due to outdoor exposure.

"Delhi sees season's worst air day, second worst December AQI in nearly a decade" (Dec 15, 2025): An analytical report on the meteorological patterns trapping pollutants in the NCR.

"Delhi bans non-BS VI vehicles from outside: Why curbing vehicular pollution is key" (Dec 17, 2025): Explaining the science behind targeting specific vehicle vintages to lower particulate matter.

2. Enforcement & Regulations

"No fuel at pumps in Delhi without valid PUC certificate from December 18" (Dec 17, 2025): Breaking the news on the environment ministry's strict "No PUC, No Fuel" policy.

3. Education Policy

"Law to regulate school fee in Delhi risks becoming procedural, say parents" (Dec 13, 2025): Investigating the loopholes in the new Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025.

"Monsoon Session: Private school fee regulation Bill cleared after four-hour debate" (Aug 9, 2025): Covering the legislative passage of the controversial fee hike regulation.

Signature Style

Sophiya is known for her observational depth. Her reporting often includes vivid details from school corridors, hospital waitlists, or the banks of the Yamuna to illustrate how policy failures affect the city's most vulnerable residents. She is a frequent expert guest on the 3 Things podcast, where she explains the complexities of Delhi’s environmental laws.

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water crisis