3 min readUpdated: May 9, 2026 06:46 PM IST
The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) on Friday said that it had attempted to rationalise water supply by “operating sluice valves on loop lines”, but “no significant improvement was observed”, even as seven CGHS (Cooperative Group Housing Society) societies in Dwarka — “situated at the tail end of the distribution network” under (CT) command tank 2 Madhu Vihar — continued to face short supply of water for the last 30 days.
Operating a sluice valve involves specific steps taken to ensure proper water distribution in loop lines and prevent damage to the infrastructure.
The water shortage being reported by CGHS societies in Dwarka is not only a case of reduced household supply, but also a problem linked to how water is supplied through the area’s distribution network.
In Dwarka, treated water is not supplied directly from the water treatment plant to individual societies. The DJB supply chain begins at the Dwarka Water Treatment Plant (WTP), from where treated water is carried through main transmission lines to command tanks and underground reservoirs. From these points, water is pushed into local distribution lines that feed sectors, pockets and housing societies.
The CT system is important because it divides the area into different supply zones.
In this case, the affected societies fall under CT-2 Madhu Vihar, which functions as one of the command points for parts of Dwarka. Water from such a command tank is distributed through a network of pipelines, valves and loop lines before it reaches the internal underground reservoirs of housing societies.
According to DJB officials, the affected societies are located toward the far end of the pipeline system. In such locations, water pressure can drop by the time supply reaches the final stretch, especially if there is uneven drawal, inadequate pressure, valve imbalance or losses along the line. As a result, residents staying at the tail end may receive water for a shorter duration or at lower pressure than those located closer to the main supply point.
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The DJB said on Friday that it attempted to rationalise supply by operating sluice valves on loop lines. Such measures are taken to balance supply between different parts of a command area, particularly when some pockets are receiving more water while others are facing short supply.
The DJB said sufficient tankers are being deployed daily to fill the underground reservoirs of the affected societies. These reservoirs are the internal storage tanks inside societies. Once filled, water is pumped from these tanks to overhead tanks or into the society’s internal distribution system, from where it reaches individual flats.
The Indian Express spoke to three senior DJB officials who maintained that Dwarka WTP is functioning on optimum
capacity.
“Command tank 2 had 4.5 m water level early Friday, which is above the allocated capacity of 4.2 m. This clearly eliminates possibilities of supply concerns from the WTP and command tanks,” said a senior official.
