Delhi water alert! Taps to run dry for 2 days in national capital; Chandni Chowk, Civil Lines brace for water shortage | Today News

Delhi Jal Board issued an advisory warning residents of the national capital about 2-day water supply disruption. Suggesting that Hindu Rao Reservoir area will be affected, the Delhi Jal Board issued advisory about water shortage on 9 and 10 January.

In a post on X, Delhi Jal Board stated, “The annual flushing programme of reservoirs under the command area of Chandrawal Water Works for the year 2025-26 will be carried out as per the following schedule.”

The temporary water disruption comes in the wake of “annual flushing programme of reservoir under the command area of Chandrawal Water Works-for the year 2025-2026.” Suggesting that Hindu Rao Reservoir area will be affected, the Delhi Jal Board issued advisory over water supply disruption for 9 and 10 January. The areas listed below can brace for water supply shortage: This move comes after nearly 16 people in Indore's Bhagirathpura area died following consumption of contaminated water. In the backdrop of Indore death, Delhi government issued a set of directives to DJB: “Intensify regular inspections of all water supply pipelines, particularly in areas where drinking water lines run in proximity to sewer lines, to detect and repair any leaks, damages, or potential points of cross-contamination immediately.”

Water supply will remain suspended on Friday and Saturday in several other areas of the national capital due to “interconnection work of newly laid 900 mm dia Khyala main at 6 locations.” Listed regions that will feel the impact are: This development comes at a time Delhi Jal Board (DJB) found that nearly 60% of its consumers are not receiving physical water bills at their homes through an internal assessment report. This exposes the administration gaps in the utility’s billing system and calls for a complete overhaul of the system.

According to officials, flawed billing mechanism has impacted of the government’s water bill amnesty initiative as many consumers are unaware of their pending dues. On Thursday, Delhi Water Minister Parvesh Verma said that the existing system is outdated and ineffective.

Asserting that timely and accurate billing was crucial for both consumer awareness and revenue recovery, Parvesh Verma said, “We are planning to completely overhaul the DJB’s outdated billing system. Currently, only about 40% of registered customers are receiving physical water bills," Hindustan Times reported.

He added, “Many households are unaware of their bill pendency. Several people complain about not receiving bills for years, and then suddenly they receive a huge amount. Hence, software changes are required to make the system more efficient.”

Presently, Delhi has around 2.9 million registered water connections which is far lower than the actual number of households in the capital, as per officials.