Dry taps and black water: South Delhi residents suffer as Delhi sizzles at 45°C

As a punishing heatwave scorches north India, parts of the national capital are facing a crisis that residents say has pushed daily life to the brink. No water to drink, no water to bathe and, in some homes, black foul-smelling water flowing from taps, even as temperatures cross 45 degrees Celsius.

In Dakshinpuri’s Block 10 and 11 and nearby localities, taps have run dry, families are scrambling for every bucket of water and children are carrying heavy containers from distant areas just to meet daily needs.

Residents say the crisis is no longer limited to inconvenience. For many families, even basic activities such as bathing, cooking and cleaning have become difficult amid the extreme heat.

For hundreds of residents, the summer heat is no longer just uncomfortable, it has become a fight for survival.

‘NOBODY IS LISTENING’

Locals claim the shortage has continued for weeks despite repeated complaints.

“There has been a water crisis here for over a month, but nobody is listening,” a resident told India Today.

Several families say people are heading to offices without bathing while children are being sent to school under similar conditions because water is simply unavailable.

Women, elderly residents and patients are among the worst affected as households struggle to manage daily chores with little or no supply.

BLACK, FOUL-SMELLING WATER IN HOMES

Residents also alleged that some homes receiving water supply are getting black-coloured water with a strong foul smell.

During a ground check at one house in the area, the supplied water appeared visibly dark and emitted an unbearable stench, making it difficult to stand inside the home.

Locals claimed the water resembled drain water and was unfit even for household use.

Children in the locality were seen carrying water cans on their shoulders after fetching water from far-off places to help their families cope with the shortage.

PRIVATE TANKERS CHARGING RS 1,500

Residents say the government had assured there would be no water shortage in the capital and that tanker supply would be arranged wherever required.

However, locals claim most tankers reaching the area are privately operated and charge around Rs 1,500 per trip.

“Tankers do come, but they are private. Poor families cannot afford to keep paying this amount,” a resident said.

Many households are now pooling money together to arrange water while others are cutting down usage drastically.

SEVERAL SOUTH DELHI AREAS AFFECTED

Apart from Dakshinpuri and Devli, complaints of severe water shortages are also emerging from Sangam Vihar, Ambedkar Nagar, Khanpur, Tigri, Madangir, Tughlakabad Extension, parts of Kalkaji and colonies near the Badarpur border.

These localities are considered water stress zones where supply problems intensify almost every summer.

But residents say this year’s crisis has become far more severe because of the prolonged heatwave and rising demand for water across the capital.

With no immediate relief in sight, many families say surviving Delhi’s scorching summer without water has become their biggest daily battle.