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Ammonia Spike Disrupts Delhi Water Amidst Chhath Puja
12 Nov
Summary
- Rising ammonia levels in Yamuna disrupt water supply.
- Sonia Vihar plant production curtailed due to pollution.
- Delhi Jal Board uses Ganga water to dilute polluted supply.
Water supply in parts of New Delhi is currently facing disruptions due to a significant increase in ammonia levels within the Yamuna River. This surge in pollution, indicative of untreated waste, has led to a curtailment of water production at the Sonia Vihar water treatment plant.
The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has identified several areas within its command area that are likely to be affected. These include neighborhoods like Bharti Nagar, Golf Links, Lodhi Estate, and Khan Market, among others. The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) is implementing measures to mitigate the impact.
DJB officials report ammonia levels around 1.5-2 ppm at the river's inlet, exceeding the 0.9 ppm threshold that triggers disruptions. To address this, the board is drawing water from the Upper Ganga Canal and undertaking sludge washing. This strategy aims to dilute the polluted raw water supply.
This issue of rising ammonia levels has been a recurring point of contention between Delhi and neighboring Haryana. Delhi authorities allege that industrial pollutants from drains, including dyes and ammonia-based chemicals, flow from the Panipat industrial dye drain. They also cite industrial waste intermixing from Sonipat as a contributing factor.
