Delhi govt steps up water supply, tanker monitoring ahead of summer

New Delhi: Chief minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday reviewed Delhi govt's ‘Summer Action Plan 2026', which lays out a detailed strategy to manage the city's rising water demand through increased production, a stronger tanker network and enhanced real-time monitoring during the peak summer months. Gupta directed officials to maximise output from all water treatment plants, strengthen tanker services in shortage-hit areas and implement GPS-based monitoring of tanker movement to ensure transparency and efficient distribution. The review meeting was attended by water minister Parvesh Verma, chief secretary Rajiv Verma and Delhi Jal Board (DJB) CEO Kaushal Raj Sharma. Officials briefed the CM on steps taken ahead of the summer season to minimise disruptions. Delhi, with a population of nearly 2.5 crore, needs around 1,250 million gallons per day (MGD) of water as per standard norms, while the present supply is roughly 1,000 MGD. The plan is aimed at narrowing this gap and ensuring equitable distribution when demand peaks. As part of the preparations, DJB carried out preventive maintenance of the supply network, including cleaning underground and surface reservoirs, repairing pumping stations, and identifying and fixing leakages across major pipelines. To support areas facing scarcity, the tanker fleet has been expanded. DJB has deployed 168 departmental tankers and 819 hired tankers, with the option of hiring 200 more if required during peak demand. A new mobile application for tanker drivers has also been introduced. The app allows GPS tracking of each trip and requires photographic proof of water delivery. Officials said this will enable real-time monitoring and allow residents to track tanker movement in their locality. Constituency-level plans have been drawn up, including colony-wise supply schedules, mapped tanker routes and identification of shortage-prone pockets to enable quicker response. Water quality checks will be intensified. DJB currently tests 1,600–1,700 samples daily across treatment plant labs and zonal labs. The number of sampling vehicles will be increased from 12 to 18 to expand coverage. A 24×7 call centre is operational for complaints. Residents can call 1916 or the toll-free number 1800117118. To deal with emergencies, 28 water emergency centres have been set up across the city.