Delhi plans to expand treated wastewater use

New Delhi: The govt is working on a new policy to expand the use of treated wastewater for non-drinking purposes across the city amid rising concern over declining groundwater levels.

Officials said the initiative is aimed at reducing dependence on freshwater supplies by diverting treated sewage water towards construction activities, irrigation of parks and other urban utilities.

The policy, currently being prepared by Delhi Jal Board (DJB), seeks to ensure that treated effluent generated at sewage treatment plants (STPs) is reused effectively instead of being discharged unused. Authorities believe the move could help conserve potable water while promoting sustainable urban water management.

Water minister Parvesh Verma said the govt is identifying sectors where treated water can replace freshwater. According to him, several Public Works Department (PWD) projects have already started using treated water, while pilot initiatives are under way in parks in east Delhi. He added that some Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) have also expressed interest in receiving treated water for flushing systems that operate through separate pipelines.

At present, DJB supplies nearly 89 million gallons per day (MGD) of treated water to agencies such as Central Public Works Department (CPWD), Delhi Development Authority (DDA), New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). It is mainly used for maintaining parks, roadside greenery and water bodies. Officials said that DJB is also working on setting up pipelines through which treated water could be given to parks.

Officials said the proposed framework would make the use of treated wastewater a priority in govt construction projects. Activities such as concrete curing, dust control and landscaping are expected to be among the major areas of application. The feasibility of using treated water in fire tenders is also being considered.

Officials said that Delhi’s sewage treatment plants currently produce around 530 MGD of treated water daily, but only about 105 MGD is being put to use. A large portion is still discharged despite being suitable for several non-potable applications.

The proposed policy is in line with Centre’s “Safe Reuse of Treated Water” framework. Recently, DJB approved a ₹90-crore project to strengthen infrastructure for transporting treated water from STPs across the capital.
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