Delhi water crisis: 39% residents complain about quality of piped water, call it 'very poor'; Only 25% of households rate it as good

New Delhi: Water shortage in Delhi has reached critical levels, magnified by soaring temperatures exceeding 48 degrees Celsius in some areas and power disruptions due to system overload. The Delhi government's plea to the Supreme Court for intervention was met critically over wastage and the well-established control of water tanker mafias. Additionally, the Central government has urged Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to augment water supplies until the monsoon season. Amidst these challenges, a severe water and sanitation crisis looms in Delhi, with some areas receiving tainted piped water while others resort to bottled water or erratic tanker deliveries.

LocalCircles recently conducted a survey with over 3,500 Delhi residents, focusing on the quality of drinking water supplied by local bodies in various states. A mere 6 per cent considered their piped water as "very good," while 25 per cent rated it as "good." Alarmingly, 39% perceived the water as either "poor" or "very poor," and 9% reported a total absence of piped water in their homes. These findings stress upon the fact that only a quarter of Delhi households view the quality of their piped water positively.

Considering the substandard water supply, the survey probed how residents purify water for consumption. Results revealed that 69 per cent utilise modern filtration methods like water purifiers or RO systems, with only 1 per cent deeming the supplied water drinkable without purification. The prevailing scenario indicates a widespread reliance on water purification mechanisms due to the poor quality of tap water.

In light of these findings, urgent action is imperative to prevent a deepening water crisis in Delhi. Cooperation between the Delhi and Central governments is crucial to securing adequate water resources and combating potential black-market activities related to water tanker deliveries. Resolving these issues promptly is essential to safeguarding the well-being of Delhi's residents and averting a recurrence of this dire situation in the future.