A resident said the taps have been dry for six months and and when water does come, it is highly contaminated. (Representational image/file)Rows of plastic drums and buckets lining the roadside in Zakhira’s Amar Park with residents waiting desperately for a Delhi Jal Board (DJB) tanker. With the DJB’s overall production remaining below peak demand due to reduced output at key water treatment plants this summer, this has been the routine for the residents of this Northwest Delhi locality. Few kilometres away in West Delhi’s Sultanpuri too has been plagued by water shortage concerns.The shortage, according to locals, has been compounded by concerns over water quality, with complaints of dark, foul-smelling water occasionally flowing through the taps in the houses. “The pipeline supply has been stopped for nearly two years,” alleged Iqbal Chaudhary, 30, a resident of W Block.According to him, nearly 500 people depend on the supply in the area, including a nearby mosque.“We get only one or two tankers in a week. The demand is very high. We cannot even get five litres per person,” he said.The locality fall primarily under the Chandrawal Water Treatment Plant supply zone, which feeds large parts of Central-West Delhi, while also drawing system-level support from the Wazirabad network through Delhi’s interconnected distribution grid.Reduced output at these plants and low raw water levels in the Yamuna have contributed to intermittent pressure and supply disruptions in the area.Residents said the problem extends beyond scarcity. “For six months, the taps have been dry. And when water does come, it is highly contaminated. Kalla paani aata hai, naale ka paani se kaise hum usse use kare? (It is completely black. How can we use sewage-mixed water?) The smell is unbearable,” said Chaudhary.Story continues below this adAnother resident at Sultanpuri said, “We have been facing serious water shortage issues. Nobody is taking a look into it.”DJB officials have attributed wider disruptions in the Capital to reduced production at major water treatment facilities, including the Wazirabad and Chandrawal plants, which have been operating below capacity due to low raw water availability from the Yamuna.The shortfall has brought down overall supply levels in the city, affecting multiple neighbourhoods.Following complaints from residents, officials said water samples have been collected from the locality and sent for laboratory testing.Sophiya Mathew is a Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in New Delhi. She joined the Delhi bureau in 2024, and has specialization in Integrated Multimedia Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai. Professional Background Core Beats: Her reporting is primarily focused on the Environment and Education. Specialization: She has gained recognition for her ground-level reporting on the Yamuna floodplains and the socio-economic challenges faced by those living on its banks. She also focuses on the disparities in Delhi's education system, ranging from elite private schools to government institutions and refugee education. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) Her recent work has been heavily centered on Delhi's severe winter pollution crisis and the government's regulatory responses: 1. The Air Pollution Crisis "A tale of two cities: Delhi govt schools choke in bad air, private classrooms set up air filters" (Dec 20, 2025): A high-impact feature contrasting the "Clean Air Bubbles" in elite schools with the reality of government school students who are exposed to an equivalent of 17 cigarettes a day due to outdoor exposure. "Delhi sees season's worst air day, second worst December AQI in nearly a decade" (Dec 15, 2025): An analytical report on the meteorological patterns trapping pollutants in the NCR. "Delhi bans non-BS VI vehicles from outside: Why curbing vehicular pollution is key" (Dec 17, 2025): Explaining the science behind targeting specific vehicle vintages to lower particulate matter. 2. Enforcement & Regulations "No fuel at pumps in Delhi without valid PUC certificate from December 18" (Dec 17, 2025): Breaking the news on the environment ministry's strict "No PUC, No Fuel" policy. 3. Education Policy "Law to regulate school fee in Delhi risks becoming procedural, say parents" (Dec 13, 2025): Investigating the loopholes in the new Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025. "Monsoon Session: Private school fee regulation Bill cleared after four-hour debate" (Aug 9, 2025): Covering the legislative passage of the controversial fee hike regulation. Signature Style Sophiya is known for her observational depth. Her reporting often includes vivid details from school corridors, hospital waitlists, or the banks of the Yamuna to illustrate how policy failures affect the city's most vulnerable residents. She is a frequent expert guest on the 3 Things podcast, where she explains the complexities of Delhi’s environmental laws. X (Twitter): @SophiyaMathew1 ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on InstagramTags:Delhi Jal Board