The Indian Express                 16.04.2013

DJB plans 9,500-km sewage network in Outer Delhi

For the Poor Stagnant waste water causes major health issues in these areas, Jal Board says project to cost Rs 25,000 crore.

As many as 9,500 km of pipelines will be needed to connect unauthorised colonies in Outer Delhi to the city's sewage network, according to Delhi Jal Board. DJB officials estimated that it could take many years and around Rs 25,000 crore to bring proper sewage facilities to these colonies, home to around 45 per cent of Delhi's population.

A draft sewer master plan, expected to be released in a few months, maps where people live in the Capital and what sort of factors need to be considered in order to build a sewage network in areas that don't have one.

"We've done a full survey of all areas without sewage system in Delhi. We realise that we need to create a sewage system for everyone and our plan is to build sewers in all unauthorised colonies," DJB CEO Debashree Mukherjee said.

DJB officials said they have already built systems in 92 of an estimated 2,000 unauthorised colonies included in the plan.

In areas that do not have sewer pipelines, waste water causes many health and sanitation problems. It either stagnates or runs through storm drains.

These drains are supposed to replenish the groundwater levels or water sources like the Yamuna, but waste water ensures that they spread contaminates instead.

The DJB's sewer master plan focuses on the technicalities that determine the feasibility of getting pipes to these areas, such as the topography, climatology, geology and other factors.

However, the feasibility itself is done internally and so is the prioritisation.

Mukherjee said water officials consider a couple of things when prioritising colonies — whether they have running water and whether they are close to an outfall or a vein of the existing sewer system, which can sufficiently transport the waste to a treatment plant.

The master plan is supposed to support sewer work till 2031, also taking into consideration growing population in specific regions.

Nitya Jacob, programme director of water at Centre for Science and Environment, lauded the DJB's plan but said he was sceptical. "Colonies grow faster than the infrastructure, but it's good in-principle and at least will ensure that everybody is on the map," Jacob said. "It is a lot of money, so where are we going to get it from?"

Mukherjee, however, said with government grants available to the DJB, the agency would not fall short of resources.

Water Woes

9,500 km sewage pipeline network

Rs 25,000 crore project cost

92 of 2,000 illegal colonies have sewage system

45 per cent of Delhi's population lives in illegal colonies

In areas that do not have sewer pipelines, waste water causes many health and sanitation problems. It either stagnates or runs through storm drains. These drains are meant to replenish the groundwater levels or water sources like the Yamuna, but waste water spreads contaminates instead. The proposed sewage network will improve sanitation and keep health hazards at bay

A draft sewer master plan, expected to be released in a few months, maps where people live in the Capital and what sort of factors need to be considered in order to build a sewage network in areas that don't have one

Water officials consider a couple of things when prioritising colonies — whether they have running water and whether they are close to an outfall or a vein of the existing sewer system, which can sufficiently transport the waste to a treatment plant

The DJB's sewer master plan focuses on the technicalities that determine the feasibility of getting pipes to these areas, such as the topography, climatology, geology and other factors.

The Hindu                 16.04.2013

Delhi banking on ‘new water’ to meet growing demand

Staff Reporter

The numbers are increasing and so is the demand for water. For the city’s water utility, the Delhi Jal Board, this is barely good news. With little possibility of finding newer sources of water for the city’s growing demand, the Jal Board is being pressed to recycle and reuse.

Three water recycling plants already adding about 30 MGD of water to the total available quantum, the Jal Board is stepping up efforts to utilise even the last drop. “Three recycling plants at Haiderpur, Wazirabad and Bagirathi water treatment plants are jointly contributing about 30 MGD to the system. We have envisaged increasing this figure to 45 MGD. By the end of the year we will be able to add another 10 MGD of water to the system when the recycling plant at Chandrawal is commissioned,” said a senior DJB official. Apart from the recycling plant at Chandrawal, which was earlier expected in 2011, the DJB has also turned to Singapore for help. It has its eye set on waste water treatment plant that will generate ‘new water’ for the city’s consumption. ‘New Water’, as it is popularly called, is treated sewage and waste water that is being increasingly used in cities where water is in short supply.

“The ‘new water’ plants are being set up to reduce the gap between demand and supply. We have already signed an agreement with the Singapore Cooperation Enterprise (SCE) and Temasek Foundation, Singapore (TF), to share their experience in planning and design of recycle and reuse of treated sewage and waste water on a public private partnership (PPP) basis,” the official said.

Delhi’s population has increased from 9.4 million in 1991 to 16.3 million in 2011 and is expected to go up to 23 million by 2021. “Nearly 50 lakh people live in unplanned habitations, it is therefore necessary to bank on reclamation of waste water from treatment process,” the official said.

As on date, Delhi gets about 845 MGD from surface sources and 100 MGD from groundwater sources, the total requirement is about 1080 MGD and the shortfall 235 MGD. The only likelihood of more water is the 80 MGD that Haryana has been withholding and 60 MGD that will be extracted through non-invasive technique from the Palla floodplains. The 80 MGD was the savings from the carrier lined channel (Munak), for which Delhi has paid over Rs.500 crore to Haryana. This water was also meant for three water treatment plants, a 40 MGD at Dwarka and 20 MGD each at Okhla and Bawana.

Reusing and recycling are also important given the falling groundwater levels. “Despite our efforts, illegal boring of water continues and there are several areas that are now in the critical zone,” the official said.