Life for most residents of Vasant Kunj revolves around the supply and storage of water. And has been so for the last 10 years.

Strategies are planned, local leaders are petitioned and threatening calls made to offices of civic bodies. In fact, so chronic is the problem that Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) of several blocks have constituted special cells just to monitor the water problem of their area.

According to Lalit Lal, president of B-9, RWA: ``There are so many water-related problems that there was no other way out but to create an exclusive wing of RWA to deal with this. These people keep a tab on whether the water tanker has arrived or not and if required they go to the local Delhi Jal Board (DJB) office and personally get the tankers. They are also the ones who ensure whether all tanks have been filled or not, whether the man whom we have appointed to fill the tanks has been coming regularly or not. Since the cell comprises largely of retired people, they can spare the time to follow this up with the authorities on a regular basis.''

Admitting that the situation has improved over the years, residents say that for most of them, potted plants and functioning coolers still remain a luxury. Pointing towards a cluster of black plastic tanks mushrooming behind every block, Kamaljeet Kaur, a housewife in B-10, says: ``As you can see, every flat has its own plastic tank, some of them two. The water tanker comes daily or every alternate day and then these tanks are filled with the help of 100-metre long plastic pipes that the RWA has bought for this purpose. Our RWA has also hired a man who along with the gatekeeper ensures that every tank is filled. This water is then pumped up by our respective booster pumps.''

She adds: ``But we still don't get enough water to use coolers, once in a while, I don't wash clothes and fill the cooler instead. The plants of course, just wilt away in the summer. But the real problems begin when guests come, which they invariably do in the summer. We borrow water from friends in far-flung areas or the nearby temple. In fact at times I have also bought mineral water bottles to tide over the crisis.''

It has now been 10 years since Kamaljeet and her family moved into this area. And till date, the city's civic officials have been unable to provide for an adequate system of piped water supply in this area.

Explaining the problem, a senior official of the Delhi Jal Board says: ``There are two reasons for water shortage in this area. One is that the most of the area is built on a steep incline and secondly, and most importantly, all the water treatment plants are in north or east Delhi. As a consequence, this is the last area and by the time its turn comes, there is hardly any water left.''

He added that as a result the Jal Board ensured regular water supply through tankers, for which they did not charge any money. ``Moreover, our water tanker drivers are instructed to fill the tanks of every house. We are doing our best, but till the city augments its water supply, these ad hoc measures will continue,'' he admitted.