Background An acute water shortage was declared in Shimla, a city in northern India, on 21 May.
Low water discharge at local sources and the contamination of the Ashwani Khad (a stream that provides the city with most of its water), have reduced the quantity of water available.
Comment Shimla is supplied by five major water sources and has a water distribution system with an overall capacity of 65 million litres per day (MLD).
On paper, Shimla should not have a water shortage as its average water demand is only 45 MLD, but water leakages that occur during the pumping and distribution stages result in the loss of approximately 30 MLD.
The city, therefore, receives an average of 35 MLD throughout the year, significantly less than installed capacity.
The city gets the majority of its water from the Giri River because the Ashwani Khad, which once met the water needs of one-quarter of the population, was contaminated in 2005 by a nearby sewage treatment plant that caused an outbreak of hepatitis.
The Ashwani Khad is not the only water source that has been contaminated.
The Irrigation and Public Health Department stopped drawing water from over 50 sources in and around the city due to concern that they are also contaminated.
It is for that reason that tourists are being urged by residents on social media to not come to Shimla until the situation improves.
Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh’s second capital, is an example of how effective water management and appropriate infrastructure can alleviate water shortages, even during the driest of times.