DJB partners with IIT-Kanpur for AI-based water management

The partnership scope includes AI-assisted groundwater monitoring and recharge planning, integrating data from borewells, sensors, and satellite imagery to enable real-time tracking and sustainable management of Delhi’s aquifers.

The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) on Wednesday signed an agreement with IIT-Kanpur for development of artificial intelligence (AI) based urban water management model for the capital, the government said.

DJB said that it will work with IIT’s Airawat Research Foundation to find solutions to urban challenges such as non-revenue water reduction.

DJB said that it will work with IIT’s Airawat Research Foundation --India’s National AI Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Cities -- to find solutions to urban challenges such as non-revenue water reduction, predictive maintenance of infrastructure, and real-time monitoring of water and sewage treatment plants (WTPs and STPs).

The MoU was signed in New Delhi in the presence of water minister Parvesh Verma, senior DJB officials and representatives of IIT Kanpur foundation. “MoU is non-financial and non-binding, with both institutions committing to collaborate on research, data integration, and deployment of advanced AI technologies to modernise and streamline Delhi’s water and wastewater management systems,” DJB said in a statement.

Verma said,“This partnership is a step towards a data-driven, transparent, and accountable water governance system in Delhi. These tools will help us detect problems, improve efficiency from supply to billing, and most importantly, rebuild citizens’ trust in public service delivery.”

Officials said that DJB and ARF will jointly design and deploy AI-driven and data-based solutions to address key urban challenges. “The project aims to develop AI-enabled public grievance redressal and revenue management systems to ensure faster response to citizen complaints, improve billing accuracy, and enhance customer satisfaction. The initiative will also support DJB’s clean Yamuna mission through AI-aided monitoring of wastewater discharge and pollution sources,” officials said.

The partnership scope includes AI-assisted groundwater monitoring and recharge planning, integrating data from borewells, sensors, and satellite imagery to enable real-time tracking and sustainable management of Delhi’s aquifers. DJB chief executive officer will serve as the project director, providing strategic oversight and coordination for all activities under this partnership, added officials.