Parched Delhi to import tech to treat effluent

In a step that can help augment parched Delhi's water needs in the long term, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) on Wednesday signed an agreement on sharing expertise on recycle/reuse of treated waste water effluent with Singapore.

In a step that can help augment parched Delhi's water needs in the long term, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) on Wednesday signed an agreement on sharing expertise on recycle/reuse of treated waste water effluent with Singapore.

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The island country has got rid of its dependence on neighbours for potable water by recycling its wastewater. Its NEWater programme, although costly, has helped it fight water scarcity; an idea Delhi is looking at to copy for meeting its increasing needs.

The DJB signed the agreement with Singapore Cooperation Enterprise (SCE), a Singapore government agency to share its development expertise with other countries, and Temasek Foundation, Singapore (TF), a Singaporean philanthropic organisation, to share Singapore's experience in planning and design of recycle and reuse of treated sewage/wastewater and delivery of such projects on a public private partnership (PPP) basis for Delhi.

It will be supported by Temasek Foundation with a grant amount of SGD $463,149 and co-funded by the DJB.

The grant agreement was signed by Debashree Mukherjee, DJB CEO and Alphonsus Chia, CEO, SCE in the presence of chief minister Sheila Dikshit, who is also the DJB chairperson and Jonathon Two, Singapore's acting High Commissioner to India and Benedict Cheong, CEO, Temasek Foundation.

During her interaction with the Singapore officials, Dikshit stressed on the 3 Rs — reduce, recycle and reuse. The agreement also takes care of training and capacity building of DJB officials for the programme.

"Considering its efficacy in Delhi's conditions, we can look at adding at least 200 MGD of capacity for recycle and reuse," said a senior DJB official.