After unveiling its ambitious Drainage Master Plan 2025 last year, the BJP government in Delhi is now preparing a comprehensive Water Master Plan for the city. This is the first time that such a plan is being prepared for the Capital, Delhi Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh said on Saturday, with a focus on long-term measures to address the demands of growing population. The government is also planning decentralisation and privatisation of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) distribution network, he added.
The Minister said, “Under the Water Master Plan, the entire water pipeline network, most of which is over three decades old, will be studied. Delhi’s water network will be mapped and solutions will be prepared to meet the city’s requirements keeping in mind the increasing population and future expansion of infrastructure.”
There is a need for a holistic approach, he underlined, towards fixing the water sector challenges that the city is facing. “We have hired the TATA group for consultation. The Tata Group is studying all the major aspects, including sources of water, requirements in future, water pipelines maintenance and other things,” he said.
On the plan to decentralise the DJB, the Minister said, “Within the next year, tenders will be floated to invite major private players to manage each of the eight command centres of the DJB. Going forward, these companies will be assigned specific zones and will be responsible for overseeing major operations in those areas.”
Each company, he said, will be assigned the responsibility of repairing and replacing old water pipes, billing and revenue collection and efficient water supply to the public.
The Minister said that they have already started working on Chandrawal Water Treatment Plant command centre.
This command centre is expected to cater to 11 Assembly constituencies in Outer North and North Part of Delhi and replacement of old lines, providing house service connections and upgradation of Underground Reservoir (UGRs) and other related works have already been awarded are in progress here.
Other command centres where tenders will be floated soon are East, North-East, West and South-West zones, said officials.
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The previous AAP government had come up with a Delhi Water Policy in 2016 with an outlook for the nine years but it could not be taken off on ground.
Currently, the city’s average water production ranges between 900-100 million gallons per day (MGD).
However, the average requirement is around 1,200 MGD. The demand increases during the summer season.
Singh had told The Indian Express last month that the government is working to reduce the water losses and leakages during transmission. “Delhi’s water leakage is 40% even as the world average is 8-12%. We are working to reduce this Non-Revenue Water (NRW) by fixing 50-100 year old pipelines and installing new tubewells,” he said.
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He added, “If we manage leakages, the current water is sufficient for the population. We are also paying for the Renuka Dam in Himachal Pradesh, which will be completed in 2031. But to be able to accept that extra water, we need to have enough plants… so we are also upgrading our water treatment plants so that we have the capacity to store and supply extra water when it arrives,”
Further, the Minister had also said that the government is also talking to the state governments in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
“We are offering them our treated STP water for their farmers’ irrigation in exchange for fresh drinking water. Our treated water is now very clean (BOD below 10) and can be easily used for farming.
Additionally, we are laying separate pipelines for gardening and parks so that fresh drinking water is saved,” he said, adding that “we might also buy water from Haryana to meet the requirements this summer.”
