A recent national groundwater assessment has raised serious concerns for Delhi, revealing that nearly 13–16% of groundwater samples collected across the city contain uranium levels above the acceptable safety limit. This places Delhi among the top three regions in India with the highest uranium contamination in groundwater, following only Punjab and Haryana. The findings highlight a growing environmental and public-health challenge for a city where large populations still rely on borewells, tubewells and other groundwater sources for daily needs.

Experts attribute the contamination to both natural and human-driven factors. As aquifers shrink due to excessive extraction, wells dig deeper into ancient rock layers naturally rich in uranium, increasing the chances of the metal leaching into the water supply. Over-exploitation of groundwater, unregulated pumping, and the absence of proper monitoring systems have amplified the problem over the past decade.

Health specialists warn that long-term consumption of uranium-contaminated water can cause severe kidney damage, chemical toxicity and elevated cancer risks. For peri-urban colonies and areas without consistent piped-water access, the danger is potentially immediate. The report urges authorities to prioritise systematic groundwater testing, regulate extraction, upgrade treatment systems and ensure safe water sources for vulnerable communities to prevent the situation from worsening.