Delhi: DJB boosts distribution to tackle peak water demand

Delhi Jal Board launched a Summer Action Plan to enhance water distribution with 13,000 points, 1,221 tankers, and real-time tracking for efficient supply.

The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) on Monday launched a Summer Action Plan to boost the Capital’s water distribution network through 13,000 distribution points, over 1,200 water tankers, and improved tracking to supply 1,002 MGD (million gallons per day) of water during peak demand, similar to last year’s 1,000 MGD, officials said on Monday.

Delhi water minister Parvesh Verma said the government is also negotiating with Haryana for an additional 51 cusec of water. (RAJ K RAJ /HT PHOTO)

Summer plan

For this purpose, DJB has tailored 68 separate plans for each assembly constituency to improve water distribution and handle high-demand areas.

Releasing the plan, Delhi water minister Parvesh Verma said the government is also negotiating with Haryana for an additional 51 cusec of water. Work has also begun on desilting Wazirabad to increase storage capacity to support 2–3 days of supply instead of one, he said.

Verma said 436 additional tubewells will be commissioned before the summer, taking the overall number of operational tubewells to 6,290 and focusing on bridging gaps in water-deficient areas. He added that due to non-equitable water distribution, around 40–50 areas have been facing perpetual water shortages, and the board will ensure water supply based on population.

“Around 1,221 tankers will be deployed during peak summer. The number of fixed supply points has also increased from last year’s 8,700 to 13,000. These points were fixed after taking input from area MLAs,” DJB member (water) RK Lakhera said, adding that 202 filling hydrants have also been operationalised to support water tanker operations.

Verma said that during this summer season, people will be able to track the movement of tankers using DJB’s digital infrastructure. “As reform measures, real-time monitoring of tankers will be carried out, and digitised route tracking is expected to eliminate misuse. The tanker system is not a permanent solution. Our focus is to make it transparent and accountable while strengthening pipeline infrastructure,” he said.

Around 500 water ATMs will also be installed at places with high footfall, providing drinking water. Currently, DJB has nine water treatment plants, which treat raw water, mostly from the Yamuna, to supply 25 million residents of the city. The water supply faces disruptions due to ammonia spike episodes, water shortages in the river channel, and equipment malfunctions. DJB is also upgrading old pumps, motors, and electro-mechanical systems to enhance efficiency, the plan states.

The minister said DJB will plan long-term and develop a 50-year water master plan, similar to the new drainage master plan created by the PWD. “We are preparing for Delhi’s growth, with planning underway for 20 lakh new housing units that will be built under the new Delhi Master Plan. We will undertake parallel expansion of water and sewer infrastructure.”

“Unlike previous years, we have created 68 assembly-level master plans for each constituency. Local officials will coordinate with MLAs to address grievances,” an official said. DJB has also set a target of testing 1,600–1,700 samples every day in its eight laboratories operational across WTPs.

“The location of each tanker will be tracked using the DJB driver application. A photo will be uploaded, and tanker movement will be traceable. We are trying to bring more transparency to the system,” Lakhera said.