9,000cr mission: 24x7 clean water and smart sewage plan

New Delhi: "Swachhata, shuddh paani, swachh Yamuna campaign will become Delhi's identity. Water is not just a gift of nature; it is the foundation of a civilization. Clean water guarantees a healthy life, and clean rivers are the soul of cultures," said chief minister Rekha Gupta, while announcing an increase in the budget allocation for the water and sanitation sector to Rs 9,000 crore for 2025-26, up from Rs 7,195 crore in the previous fiscal year.With additional funds, Gupta outlined new initiatives including the installation of GPS systems on Delhi Jal Board (DJB) tankers, setting up new borewells, introducing intelligent metering, repairing sewage treatment plants (STPs), replacing open canals with pipelines, and implementing an ‘Emergency Water Storage' system to tackle water shortages in the capital.A major concern is water pollution due to untreated sewage flowing into the Yamuna. Gupta has allocated Rs 500 crore for STP repairs and Rs 250 crore to replace ageing sewer lines. This is crucial for sewage management, as residents often face issues with dirty and smelly water. Delhi has 37 STPs, with 18 currently undergoing capacity upgrades. Delhi generates about 792 million gallons per day (MGD) of sewage, but only 610 MGD is treated, leaving 100 MGD to flow into drains and eventually the Yamuna. To address this, Rs 250 crore has been allocated to enhance the performance of water treatment plants (WTPs), which currently produce 900-1,000 MGD of water across 10 plants."Our goal is to meet the water needs of Delhi's 3 crore residents by bridging the gap between daily demand of 1,290 MGD and the current capacity of 1,000 MGD," Gupta said. To improve monitoring, Rs 150 crore has been allocated for the installation of a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system and intelligent metering for more efficient water management."We will not tolerate water theft or loss during transmission. Intelligent metering will help track water production and ensure it reaches reservoirs," Gupta asserted. To enhance long-term planning for water supply and sewerage, expert consultancy services will be hired with a budget of Rs 10 crore. In another move to prevent water loss, the open Munak canal from Haryana will be replaced by pipelines, with an allocation of Rs 200 crore. According to DJB estimates, 30% of the water from this source is lost due to evaporation.Additionally, Rs 150 crore will be spent on the creation of an ‘Emergency Water Storage' facility, a first for the city. "Previous governments were caught up in disputes with neighbouring states. We will engage with them and set up an emergency storage system," Gupta added.The budget also includes Rs 100 crore for new tubewells and Rs 50 crore for a rainwater harvesting system.In a scathing remark aimed at the opposition, Gupta said, "Tanker scams kept surfacing under the previous government," and announced that all DJB water tankers will be fitted with GPS systems. A mobile app, "DJB Tanker," will also be launched to allow locals and residents' welfare associations to track tanker movements.