Experts estimate that by 2031, Delhi would require an additional 530 MGD of water.

  • June 10, 2022, 1:38 p.m.

NEW DELHI: The city would need to source an additional 530 million gallons of water per day by 2031, and the challenge must be met by creating infrastructure for both sourcing and storing water, said experts on Thursday. 

Speaking at an event on Delhi’s water ecosystem on Thursday, Shashank Shekhar, professor of geology at Delhi University, said the Delhi Jal Board produced around 1,000 MGD in their water treatment plants. Shekhar pointed out that of Delhi’s water demand of around 1,178 MGD in 2022, around 800 MGD reaches the people, leaving a deficit of around 370 MGD. However, Delhi’s population is assumed to stabilise at 27 million by 2031, and the water demand then would be around 1,332 MGD as per the planning policy. Therefore, in the next nine years, we have to think of finding a source for 532 MGD — and that’s a tough task.

Shekhar added that infrastructure had to be installed with the focus on sourcing and treating the water.

In Delhi, there has been no planning for a certain percentage of treated water to be processed to be of drinking quality, observed Depinder Kapur, director (Water), Centre for Science and Environment. He said this was a lacuna in the Master Plan for Delhi 2041. "There has been no commitment to reuse at least 25% of treated water for potable purposes." "All they say is that around 45 MGD of treated water will be reused for filling water bodies," Kapur said. "

The event, titled "Dialogue to Develop a Vision for the Environment of Delhi – 2025", was organised by Green Circle of Delhi in association with the India International Centre. Suhas Borker, founder member, Green Circle of Delhi, highlighted how open nullahs were covered with concrete some years ago and they were reinvented as storm water drains.

Reacting to this, Ankit Srivastava, technical advisor to DJB, said the state government was converting old nullahs into recharge zones. Four major and 54 minor drains would be developed as eco-trails zones with plantations around them watered by wastewater. The National Green Tribunal does not permit the covering of nullah, according to Srivastava.

Jasmine Shah, vice-chairman, Dialogue and Development Commission of Delhi, talked about how the AAP government has been working on water equity for seven years. "Half of the unauthorised colonies did not have drinking water pipelines in 2015. By 2022, 97% of such colonies had been connected to water supply, said Shah. "Leakage in water supply too was the accepted norm in 2015."

Author : Rajdhani Delhi Representative

Rajdhani delhi representative

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