Landslides disrupt Dharamshala water supply; Naddi pipelines damaged
Heavy landslides triggered by incessant rain in the Naddi area have damaged key gravity pipelines supplying drinking water to Dharamshala city, disrupting water supply to several parts of the town, officials said on Thursday.
Arvind Sharma
Sep 3, 2026 06:58
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Dharamshala, September 3, 2026: Heavy landslides triggered by incessant rain in the Naddi area have damaged key gravity pipelines supplying drinking water to Dharamshala city, disrupting water supply to several parts of the town, officials said on Thursday.
Sumit Katoch, Executive Engineer of the Jal Shakti Department, Dharamshala, said around 4.40 million litres per day (MLD) of water is supplied to the city from the Naddi water treatment plant. Continuous rainfall and unstable ground conditions have led to landslides, damaging the pipelines at several points.
A department team has been deployed at the affected sites and repair work is being carried out on a priority basis. However, persistent rain and the risk of further landslides could delay restoration, Katoch said.
To minimise the impact, the department is supplying water to affected areas through alternative sources, including the Dhar water treatment plant and the Dari Bypass. Officials are monitoring the situation and have assured residents that efforts are underway to restore normal supply at the earliest.
Katoch appealed to residents to use water judiciously and avoid wastage until the supply system is fully restored.
The disruption has also highlighted the vulnerability of Dharamshala's largely gravity-fed water network during the monsoon. The city's drinking water is primarily sourced from streams and rivers flowing from the Dhauladhar ranges, including the Bhated and Gajj rivers.
Officials said the Gajj river continues to have sufficient water to sustain supply, but pipelines passing through landslide-prone zones are repeatedly damaged during the monsoon, causing interruptions.
Dharamshala requires around 4.40 million litres per day (MLD), with a substantial portion of its supply dependent on gravity-based schemes. The city's steep and uneven terrain makes groundwater extraction difficult, increasing its dependence on surface water and pipeline networks.
With the monsoon continuing, residents in affected areas have been advised to conserve water until the damaged pipelines are repaired and regular supply is restored.
