Last Updated: 10 May 2024

¶ 1. Demand and Supply Gap

On an average, today each household in Delhi gets around 4 Hrs of water supply^[1]

¶ Current Situation^[2]

Water production: 15% Up under AAP government^[2:1]

¶ Plan to fill demand Gap(~300 MGD)

95 MGD from Treated effluent water^[1:1]

• The DJB plans to discharge treated effluent of high quality at Palla and lift it at Wazirabad for further treatment
• This project, the first-ever of its kind in India, will give an additional 95 MGD of water by December 2024

25 MGD from Yamuna floodplains^[1:2]

• DJB will start drawing 25 MGD from the reservoirs created in the Yamuna floodplains at Palla near Delhi Haryana Border to retain excess water in the monsoon season

200 MGD of groundwater^[1:3]

Around 200 MGD of groundwater will be extracted from areas with high water tables such as Roata in Najafgarh in southwest Delhi

• Water Supply through ground water resources Avg 130+ MGD including Yamuna Floodplains achieved till May 2024
• New River Water allocations Not possible before 2028

¶ 2. 24x7 Water Supply Project

• To ensure 24x7 supply, a leakage-proof pipeline network, constant water pressure, sensors and metered connections are a must to prevent leakages and theft^[1:4]

Target: To bring down NRW (Non-Revenue Water which is leaked or stolen because of illegal bore wells and private tankers) from 42% to 15%^[1:5]

¶ a. Divided into Zones^[1:6]

• Delhi is divided into 3 zones (East-Northeast Zone, South-Southwest Zone and West-Northwest Zone). This covers 77% population of Delhi
• At present, 12% population is covered in Malviya Nagar (South Zone), Vasant Vihar (Southwest Zone) and Nangloi (West Zone) areas
• 11% population will be covered under projects in the command areas of Wazirabad (East Zone) and Chandrawal WTP (Northeast Zone)

¶ b. Roles & Responsibilities^[1:7]

• Delhi Jal Board will take care of Operation & Maintenance of WTP, STP, UGR-1, UGR-2, Terminal Pumping Station, Trunk Sewer and transmission among them
• Private Contractor will be responsible for
  • Design, Construction, Layout, Renovation and Rehabilitation of water supply & Sewage facilities
  • Meter Reading, Bill Generation, Revenue Collection and Integration with DJB RMS system

¶ c. Pilot Project^[5]

Pilot Projects in 2 small colonies:

• 783 houses of Malviya Nagar in Navjeevan Vihar and Geetanjali Enclave
• 2,156 houses of Vasant Vihar in West End Colony, Anand Niketan and Shanti Niketan
• Besides Malviya Nagar and Vasant Vihar, DJB has been providing 24x7 water supply to two colonies – Ranaji Enclave and Vipin Garden – in Nangloi area

Outcome^[5:1]: SUCCESS

-- Non-revenue water (NRW) down from 62% to 10%
-- Water consumption from around 600 litres per capita per day (LPCD) to around 220 LPCD in Shanti Niketan and Anand Niketan
But per person consumption remains high (323 LPCD) in West end Colony where consumers have big houses and gardens

Challenges faced^[5:2]

1. DJB had to replace 30-35 years old pipelines
2. Around 60% of the network in Malviya Nagar and 80% in Vasant Vihar had to be changed
3. All the household connections had to be changed: Most of the leakages found in house-service connections. These pipes have a life of 8-15 years

¶ 3. SUPPLY AUGMENTATION with Groundwater Recharge

• 3a. Delhi City of Lakes Innovative techniques & List of revived lake sites
• 3b. Yamuna Floodwater retention for groundwater recharge 50+ MGD water extraction targetted
• 3c. Rain Water Harvesting Potential of 600+ MGD water source

¶ 4. Water Treatment Capacity

• 4. Water Treatment Plants by Delhi Govt Existing, New & Upgrades

¶ 5. Distribution

• 5a UGR(Underground Reservoir) or BPS(Booster Pumping Stations)
• 5b Water Pipe Network - Connections to Houses and Colonies
• 5c Water ATMs

¶ 6. Maintenance: Innovative/Tech Solutions

• 6a. Helium Leak detection technology Automated Solutions for Leak Detection
• 6b. Flow Meters & SCADA Real-time Water Supply Information

¶ 7. Other Innovations

• Modern Extraction Wells In house Delhi Govt Tech led by Satyendar Jain

¶ 8. Groundwater Level Impact

• Ground Water Table levels in Delhi Positive for last 2 years

References:

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1. https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/delhi-divided-into-three-zones-for-24x7-water-supply-project-121090500143_1.html ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

2. https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/delhi-divided-into-three-zones-for-24x7-water-supply-project-121090500143_1.html ↩︎ ↩︎

3. https://delhiplanning.delhi.gov.in/sites/default/files/Planning/generic_multiple_files/outcome_budget_2023-24_1-9-23.pdf ↩︎

4. https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/delhi-news/water-shortfall-leaves-city-thirsty-djb-bulletin-shows-101715278310858.html ↩︎

5. https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/world-news-delhis-5-per-cent-houses-have-24x7-water-supply-after-8-years-of-launching-of-govts-pilot-project/393590 ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎