Delhi Jal Board to lay down new water, sewer lines in Janakpuri

DJB assures NGT it will fix sewage contamination in Janakpuri's water supply by replacing old pipelines, with repairs ongoing and completion by June 30.

The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has told the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that it will fix the issue of sewage water entering the drinking water supply in Janakpuri, a month after a study found that 30% of water samples tested in Janakpuri’s A block were contaminated with E. coli and faecal coliform.

Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has told the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that it will fix the issue of sewage water entering the drinking water supply in Janakpuri. (HT Photos)

In an undertaking, the water agency, however, said an examination of the area revealed that water and sewer pipelines in and around the block were nearly 40 years’ old and have corroded. This, it claimed, was leading to contamination and mixing. Replacing the drinking water and sewer lines will solve the issue, it said.

Last month, the Central Pollution Control Board study studied water samples in the area following a plea filed by the Residents’ Welfare Association complaining of foul smell and visibly contaminated drinking water in the area.

In the last hearing, NGT had pulled up DJB for inaction, observing that even after three months of deliberation, the water utility has failed to take meaningful remedial measures.

In a submission dated June 4, filed on behalf of the chief engineer, DJB told the tribunal that repair work on peripheral sewer lines is already underway and will be completed by June 30. “It will be ensured that none of the residents receives a supply of water containing E. coli and faecal coliform,” the undertaking said.

“For a permanent solution, the existing more than 40-year-old water and sewer lines in the affected area, which have outlived their lives, will be replaced,” the submission said.

The submission added that tenders will be floated once budgetary approvals are secured under the current action plan, and replacement work will take around six months which will begin after the monsoon season.

The tribunal had also ordered fresh sampling to be carried out on June 30, with a report due ahead of the next hearing on July 16. Action will be taken against DJB if contamination is observed again, it had warned.