DDA plans real-time monitoring of STP water quality in 100 parks

According to officials, the initiative will also support the rejuvenation of water bodies located within park complexes by supplying treated water.

New Delhi:

Treated water from these plants will be used for irrigation, horticulture, arboriculture and replenishing water bodies within parks, said officials. (Raj K Raj/ Hindustan Times)

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) plans to introduce online real-time monitoring of sewage treatment plants (STPs) in around 100 parks under its horticulture department to ensure treated wastewater is effectively reused for irrigation, horticulture and arboriculture.

The agency has issued an Expression of Interest (EoI) inviting firms to install automation systems for real-time monitoring of water quality and quantity, and to suggest suitable technologies for setting up wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) of up to 100 kilolitres per day (KLD) capacity in DDA parks, said officials.

According to officials, the initiative will also support the rejuvenation of water bodies located within park complexes by supplying treated water.

“Under the automation component, the system will enable real-time monitoring of key water quality parameters such as biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), pH levels and the quantity of treated water,” a DDA official said, adding that this would help ensure compliance with treatment standards and improve operational efficiency.

The second component focuses on identifying feasible wastewater treatment technologies for STPs with capacities of up to 100 KLD. Treated water from these plants will be used for irrigation, horticulture, arboriculture and replenishing water bodies within parks, said officials.

Officials said that they will be hiring an agency which will assess technologies based on factors such as capital cost per KLD, land requirement, operation and maintenance costs, power consumption, treated water quality, sludge management, reliability and environmental impact.

“The objective is to optimise water use in public green spaces through real-time digital monitoring of STP performance and adoption of appropriate treatment technologies so that the water can be used effectively for horticulture and irrigation,” a senior DDA official said.

Another official said, “Once implemented, the system will allow centralised tracking of water quality and output from STPs in parks, which can help in tomely maintenance interventions and data-driven decision making.

DDA manages over 16,000 acres of green areas in Delhi, including 10,400 acres spread across 729 public parks, including 21,000 acres of biodiversity parks and 3500 acres of the Yamuna floodplains. The 100 larger parks identified for this project have existing STPs with capacities ranging from 10 KLD to 1,000 KLD, commissioned between 2020 and 2024, officials said. These include neighbourhood parks, district parks, children’s parks, and larger recreational complexes across east, south, north and west Delhi.