Delhi’s water supply and sewerage systems are set for a major infrastructure overhaul, with the Delhi Jal Board approving projects worth Rs 17,970 crore and introducing a ‘one zone, one operator’ model for sewerage management across eight zones.
Under the new arrangement, a single agency in each zone will be responsible for sewer lines, manholes, pumping stations and complaint resolution. The agencies will also operate and maintain the sewer network, including cleaning sewer lines and running pumping stations, for 10 years.
The approved projects include Rs 6,044.05 crore for improving water supply in southern Delhi. The work will cover 247 square kilometres across 12 Assembly constituencies and is expected to benefit 2,44,381 domestic consumers, according to the report by Live Hindustan – NCR.
The southern Delhi project will include smart meters, bulk flow meters, chlorine sensors and pressure sensors. These systems are intended to enable real-time monitoring of water consumption, supply, pressure and quality. A water audit will also be used to identify water losses in the distribution network.
The Delhi Jal Board has also approved projects to create 328 million gallons per day of additional sewage treatment capacity at a cost of Rs 7,373 crore. To reduce the flow of untreated sewage into the Yamuna, the board has approved inviting tenders for 13 new sewage treatment plants.
Another major component is the Wazirabad water supply project, for which the board has granted administrative approval to a package worth Rs 1,214.58 crore. The project includes an 80 million gallons per day water treatment plant, an automated raw-water intake system and 15 years of operation and maintenance. The existing 40 million gallons per day plant at Wazirabad will also be repaired.
Delhi government Water Minister Parvesh Verma said the new operating arrangement would allow the system to identify problems and make the designated operator responsible for fixing them. The model is intended to consolidate accountability in a sector where failures can involve several agencies, contractors and maintenance points across the same network.
The scale of the approved programme reflects the pressure on Delhi’s water and sewerage infrastructure as the city manages demand, distribution losses, ageing assets and pollution entering the Yamuna. However, the report does not provide project-wise completion dates, procurement schedules or details of the agencies that will operate the eight sewerage zones.
The immediate next steps include tendering for the 13 sewage treatment plants and implementation of the approved southern Delhi and Wazirabad water supply packages. Their delivery will determine how quickly the proposed monitoring systems, treatment capacity and single-operator accountability become operational for residents.