With each passing minute, the crowd grew more agitated. After the water tanker didn’t show up for two days straight, many had set down there pots and buckets at the street corner as early as five in the morning, anticipating its arrival.
Now,under the white midday sun, the empty vessels stood like mute sentinels keeping the place for its owner in the queue as it awaited the tanker. Suddenly, the raging row over rumours that someone had cut the queue was cut short; hundreds of heads turned to look as a deep rumble approached from up the road.
It is difficult to describe how those at the edge of desperation react to a sight of relief; the crowd erupts into action as the water tanker turns the corner, leaping over each other to make sure they take their fill. Even before the tanker crawled to a stop, locals were on its roofs, removing the cover to prompty insert a host of pipes to siphon out water into the vessels crouching underneath.
The afternoon would pass in a whirl; the crowd growing anxious as the flow of water slowed. Those unfortunate enough to find a place at the trailing end of the queue enviously eyed their neighbours as they departed with filled buckets, further deepening the emptiness in their’s.
A Summer of Discontent
The summer of 2024 brought upon the capital an acute water crisis that left a chunk of the populace without access to clean drinking water amid record-breaking mercury levels. With the Yamuna water level declining, and disruptions in supply from neighbouring states, residents faced severe shortages, leading to long queues for water tankers and increasing reliance on private borewells. Political disputes over water allocation and inefficiencies within Delhi’s distribution system further exacerbated the crisis, exposing the city’s vulnerability to recurring water shortages.
The situation worsened as temperatures soared to record highs, increasing the demand for water while supply remained inadequate. Heatwave conditions gripped the city, with temperatures surpassing 50°C in some areas. The extreme weather significantly increased water consumption, putting additional burden on an already stressed supply.
Many parts of the national capital, especially areas in South and East Delhi, reported frequent disruptions in water supply, forcing people into queues for water tankers and access to private borewells.
One of the primary reasons for the severe water crisis was declining water levels in the Yamuna, which provides about 60% of Delhi’s water. With the river’s flow reduced, the capacity of water treatment plants was also affected, leading to an overall decrease in distribution.
Delhi’s dependence on neighbouring states for water supply worsened shortages. The city sources a large portion of its water from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, but during peak summer months, officials alleged that Haryana had reduced the amount of water being released to Delhi. This led to political tensions, with the Delhi Jal Board repeatedly raising concerns over inadequate supply. While state governments exchanged blame, residents bore the brunt of the shortages, struggling to secure water for barest of needs.
The crisis was also exacerbated by issues within Delhi’s own water distribution system. Pipeline leakages and illegal water connections contributed to significant water loss, making it difficult to ensure an even distribution of the available supply.
Many parts of the city received water only once every two to three days, forcing households to ration their usage. The burden was particularly heavy on low-income families, who could not afford to buy water at inflated prices from private suppliers.
In response, the erstwhile Delhi government implemented several emergency measures. Additional water tankers were deployed in the most affected areas to provide relief. Authorities launched a crackdown on illegal water connections and leaks in an attempt to minimise wastage.
The government urged Haryana to release Delhi’s due share of Yamuna water, while also acting on war footing to increase the number of borewells and tubewells in water-scarce regions. Officials monitored water outflows from underground reservoirs more closely to improve efficiency and distribution.
Despite efforts, the crisis underscored Delhi’s vulnerability to water shortages and the urgent need for long-term solutions. Experts emphasised the importance of improving the overall water infrastructure, implementing rainwater harvesting systems, and developing alternative sources such as desalination and waste-water recycling.
However, without substantial improvements in water management and supply systems, Delhi remains at risk of facing similar crises in the coming years. As another summer approaches, concerns are rising over whether the government’s preparations will be enough to prevent a repeat of last year’s crisis.
A new Action Plan
To prevent recurrence of last year’s turmoil, the Delhi government has launched the Summer Action Plan 2025, focusing on streamlining water distribution, monitoring supply, and enhancing infrastructure. Measures such as GPS-fitted tankers, pipeline upgrades, and strict oversight of underground reservoirs aim to ensure an uninterrupted water supply. Meanwhile, with power demand expected to soar, authorities are also working to bolster the electricity grid, promising swift responses to outages and infrastructure improvements to tackle the summer heat effectively.
On February 18, soon after the formation of the new government, L-G V K Saxena chaired a high-level meeting to review the Summer Action Plan and strategies for uninterrupted water supply in the city amid the impending summer heat.
With summer closing in, Water Minister Pravesh Verma launched a comprehensive initiative under the Summer Action Plan 2025 to tackle the recurring water supply challenges. The plan prioritises streamlining distribution, curbing illegal connections, improving sewer management, and enhancing transparency through stricter monitoring.
A key component of the initiative is the weekly review meetings with Delhi Jal Board (DJB) officials. These meetings aim to assess the progress of water supply and sewer system improvements, ensure leak prevention, and address inefficiencies in distribution.
During the first review meeting, Verma directed officials to legalize water connections by revising connection charges, making them more affordable for residents. He emphasized that high rates discourage people from opting for legal connections, leading to unauthorised usage. “A deadline will be set for residents to obtain legal connections, after which penalties will be imposed on those who fail to comply,” he said.
Delhi heavily relies on neighbouring states for nearly 90% of its drinking water needs, drawing from four primary sources: Yamuna (389 MGD), Ganga (253 MGD), Ravi-Beas (221 MGD), and groundwater (90 MGD). Despite this, the city’s total water supply of 953 MGD remains significantly below its estimated demand of 1,380 MGD. The Summer Action Plan aims to bridge this gap by optimizing water management strategies.
To address water distribution inefficiencies, Verma announced the implementation of GPS-fitted water tankers to improve accountability and ensure equitable supply.
“Currently, there is no proper record of the trips made by tankers. Every tanker will now be fitted with GPS, and a proper list of supply points will be maintained,” he said. Additionally, the number of daily tanker trips will be increased from nine to 16 to meet rising demand during peak summer.
Recognising the financial implications of water wastage, the minister has also instructed officials to monitor outflow from underground reservoirs (UGRs). This will help estimate revenue, minimize losses, and prevent unaccounted-for water usage.
Apart from improving infrastructure, the government is also focusing on upgrading the sewerage system to prevent blockage and ensure efficient wastewater management. Officials have been directed to prevent water leakages and streamline sewage disposal to reduce disruptions in the daily supply.
Verma highlighted that these efforts align with the government’s commitment to public welfare. “Through weekly meetings under the Summer Action Plan, we are committed to ensuring an uninterrupted water supply for every citizen. These reforms will bring more transparency and accountability, ultimately benefiting the people,” he said.
The government is also developing a special monitoring system to oversee water distribution and swiftly address complaints. Officials expect significant improvements in water availability and sewer management in the coming weeks as these measures are put into action.
On March 28, the government announced more measures to prevent water shortages and improve supply management. This included deploying nodal officers across four divisions to handle complaints and ensure swift resolutions, Verma said.
These officers will be responsible for addressing concerns raised by both residents and legislators regarding the water supply. Verma stressed that the government is proactively tackling the issue and holding frequent review meetings to assess and manage critical water shortages in vulnerable areas.
“Our summer action plan is fully prepared. We hold meetings every two to three days to assess the situation, address complaints and review preparations,” Verma said, adding that as part of the action plan, tubewells are being installed in areas where water quality is satisfactory and groundwater levels are stable. To meet increased demand, the government will deploy additional water tankers and increase their frequency. To enhance efficiency, each tanker will now have two drivers instead of one.
The minister also pointed to past mismanagement in Delhi’s water supply system, holding the previous administration accountable for issues such as haphazard pipeline connections. “Delhi’s water management system had deteriorated severely. During the previous government, MLAs connected water lines in their respective areas as per their own interests,” he said.
To address these inefficiencies, the government is working on pipeline upgrades to minimise leakages. A new distribution system is also being put in place to allocate water based on population density, ensuring a fair and balanced supply across the city.
“In the budget, we have allocated funds to fix leakages in Munak Canal, which carries water through an open and unlined channel. If previous governments had taken timely action, the situation would have been better today,” Verma added.
Water loss, theft add to woes
The crisis was also exacerbated by issues within Delhi’s own water distribution system. Pipeline leakages and illegal water connections contributed to significant water loss, making it difficult to ensure an even distribution of the available supply. Many parts of the city received water only once every two to three days, forcing households to ration their usage. The burden was particularly heavy on low-income families, who could not afford to buy water at inflated prices from private suppliers.
Summer Action Plan
Priorities set
Streamlining distribution across capital
Curbing illegal water connections
Improving sewer, waste management
Enhancing transparency, stricter monitoring
Govt plans
The action plan aims optimise water management strategies
Legalise water connections by revising connection charges, making them affordable, as high water rates often lead to unauthorised usage
Weekly review meetings to assess water supply and sewer systems, ensure leak prevention, and address inefficiencies in distribution across the city
Officials to monitor outflow from underground reservoirs to estimate revenue, minimise losses, and prevent unaccounted-for water usage
Nodal officers to be deployed across four divisions to address concerns raised by both residents and legislators regarding water supply
GPS-fitted water tankers to improve accountability, ensure equitable supply
Number of daily water tanker trips to be increased from 9 to 16 to meet rising demand during peak summer months
Focus on sewer system upgrades to prevent blockages and ensure efficient wastewater management
Prevent water leakages and streamline sewage disposal to reduce disruptions in the daily supply
Govt mulls special monitoring system to oversee water distribution and swift complaint redressal
Record power supply
In an effort to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply across the city, the government has directed the Power Department to implement its own Summer Action Plan 2025 with immediate effect. As part of the Summer Action Plan, authorities will take immediate and effective measures to ensure a stable and uninterrupted power supply. The plan prioritizes quick response mechanisms to address grid failures and network disruptions efficiently. Sood directed officials to ensure that, in the event of a power grid failure, repairs must be completed within five minutes to minimize disruptions for residents. A key initiative under the plan is establishing model colonies where overhead power cables will be removed or properly organised.