Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi, stated on Monday that engineers are working around the clock to restore full capacity to the Wazirabad Water Treatment Plant in the national capital, which reopened a day ago after being forced to close due to floods a few days ago.
The Wazirabad plant, one of the three water treatment plants through which the city gets its drinking water supply, had to be shut on July 13 after the flood waters entered its pumping station. As per Kejriwal, the WWT plant was currently operating at a capacity of 54 MGD.
“Capacity of Wazirabad Water treatment plant is 134 MGD. It has started producing 54 MGD. The equipment got most damaged in this plant. Hopefully, it shud start working on full capacity soon. Engineers are working 24×7,” tweeted Kejriwal on Monday.
The chief minister also thanked the Public Works Department, Delhi Jal Board and other agencies for rescue and relief operations in the flood-affected areas.
“I wish to personally thank PWD, DJB, army, NDRF, I&FC, navy and all officers and engineers of other depts for working 24×7 to save Delhiites and bringing life to normalcy. Salute to all of them! Thank u!,” tweeted Kejriwal.
On Sunday, Kejriwal informed that the Chandrawal water treatment plant (WTP) had resumed operations after water level in the Yamuna River dropped to 206.03 metres.
The three water treatment plants- Wazirabad, Okhla and Chandrawal- were closed on July 13 as the floodwater entered the pumping stations of these plants. Following the closure of the three treatment plants due to the rising levels of the Yamuna, several areas of the Delhi faced water crisis.
The Okhla water treatment plant started at full capacity on Saturday evening.
The water level of the Yamuna River on Monday morning crossed 205.48 metres, slightly above the danger mark of 205.33 metres, even as the waterlogging situation continues to persist in several parts of the national capital.
As per the Central Water Commission, the water level, which had breached the danger mark, flooding vast swathes of the national capital, was recorded at 205.48 at 7 am on Monday down from 206.02 m at 8 am on Sunday.
According to the statistics, the water level was 205.45 m for the last three hours before 7 a.m.
Previously, the river’s water level was reported at 205.56 meters at 8 p.m. on Sunday.
At 5 p.m. on July 10, the Yamuna River in Delhi breached the danger mark of 205.33 metres.
The hourly water discharge from the Hathni Kund Barrage, which had reached nearly 3,60,000 cusecs on July 11, was 53,955 cusecs at 08:00 PM on Sunday.
On Sunday, Kejriwal promised a ten thousand rupee financial assistance for flood-affected families.