Delhi Launches Water Rationalisation Plan As Survey Reveals Supply Imbalance

Why does a constituency with nearly 9 lakh residents receive far less water per person than one with less than a third of that population?

That question is at the centre of the Delhi government's new Water Rationalisation Project, announced after a Delhi Jal Board (DJB) survey found significant disparities in water distribution across the national capital's 70 Assembly constituencies.

The survey revealed that while several densely populated constituencies receive relatively low per capita water supply, some less populated areas are supplied considerably more water per resident.

Delhi Water Minister Parvesh Verma said the government now plans to rebalance distribution based on population, demand and infrastructure requirements.

The Water Gap: What The Survey Revealed

The constituency-wise survey highlighted wide variations in per capita water availability across Delhi.

Among the constituencies identified as receiving relatively lower per capita supply were Karawal Nagar, Badli, Kirari and Burari.

According to the survey:

• Karawal Nagar, with a population of around 5 lakh, receives 4.7 million gallons per day (MGD), or about 42.73 litres per person daily.
• Badli, home to around 5.5 lakh residents, receives 6.5 MGD, translating to 53.73 litres per capita per day.
• Kirari, with an estimated population of 6.6 lakh, receives 8.5 MGD, or 58.55 litres per person daily.
• Burari, which has a population of around 9 lakh, receives 12.5 MGD, amounting to 63.14 litres per capita per day.

In contrast, several constituencies with significantly smaller populations were found to be receiving much higher quantities of water per resident.

The survey found:

• Rohini receives 13.73 MGD for a population of around 2.75 lakh, equivalent to 227.3 litres per person daily.
• Matia Mahal receives 12.3 MGD for about 2.58 lakh residents, or 216.73 litres per capita per day.
• Chandni Chowk receives 9.9 MGD for a population of around 2.10 lakh, translating to 214.31 litres per person daily.
• Rajendra Nagar receives 10.6 MGD for roughly 2.4 lakh residents, or 200.78 litres per capita per day.

The findings, officials say, point to long-standing imbalances in how water is distributed across the city.

Why The Government Is Reworking Delhi's Water Map

Explaining the rationale behind the exercise, Verma said the same constituencies continue to generate a large share of Delhi's water-related complaints every summer.

"Still there are 12 to 13 assembly constituencies from where the majority of water-related complaints are received every summer. At the same time, there are areas receiving comparatively higher water supply. This imbalance has existed for years. We are now working on a Water Rationalisation Project to ensure that every citizen, irrespective of where they live, gets equitable access to water," he said.

According to the minister, the project will scientifically assess population density, demand patterns, supply levels and infrastructure availability across different parts of Delhi.

The goal is to create a more balanced distribution system so that areas with higher demand are not left underserved while others receive disproportionately higher supplies.

The 30-Year-Old Pipeline Challenge

The government says unequal allocation is only one part of Delhi's water challenge.

Another major issue is the city's ageing water distribution network.

"Out of Delhi's 16,634-kilometre water distribution network, nearly 5,500 kilometres of pipelines are more than 30 years old. These ageing lines are prone to leakages and contamination. Huge quantities of treated water are lost before reaching consumers. We have started a mission to replace these old pipelines and strengthen the entire distribution system," Verma said.

Officials believe leakages and infrastructure failures are reducing the efficiency of the network and affecting supply in several areas.

"The work that should have been done 10 or 20 years ago is now being taken up on priority. Replacing old pipelines, reducing leakages, modernising distribution systems and strengthening water infrastructure are essential if Delhi has to become water secure," he added.

Plugging Leaks, Saving Water

As part of the broader reform push, the Delhi Jal Board is also focusing on reducing Non-Revenue Water (NRW), treated water that is lost through leakages, theft and inefficiencies before it reaches consumers.

Officials believe reducing these losses could significantly improve water availability without increasing production.

The DSB Canal Plan

Another proposal under consideration is converting the open DSB Canal system into a closed pipeline-based network.

"Today, nearly 40 to 45 per cent of water is lost through the DSB canal system. To address this, IIT Roorkee has been engaged to conduct a feasibility study. Once the canal is converted into a pipeline-based system, water losses will reduce drastically and supply efficiency will improve significantly," the minister said.

A New Push For Recycled Water

The government is also planning a long-term shift towards water conservation through a Dual Piping System.

Under the proposed model, highly treated recycled water will be supplied through a separate network for non-drinking purposes such as toilet flushing, horticulture, landscaping, construction activities and vehicle washing.

Freshwater would be reserved primarily for drinking and household use.

What Happens Next?

The Water Rationalisation Project is expected to involve a detailed review of constituency-wise demand, population and infrastructure before any changes are implemented.

For the government, the challenge is no longer just about producing more water. It is also about ensuring that the water already available is distributed more evenly and reaches consumers more efficiently.

Whether the exercise can reduce the disparities highlighted by the survey, and address the recurring complaints that emerge from the same parts of Delhi every summer, will become clearer as the project moves from planning to implementation.