Delhi govt explores policy to use treated water for construction works

New Delhi, Jun 21 (PTI) Aiming to reduce dependence on groundwater extraction, the Delhi government is planning to bring in a proper policy of only using treated water for construction works.
     The idea was communicated to top officials of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) in a meeting held here earlier this week, said official sources.
     "We are working on a policy to use treated water for construction works, starting with the DJB projects. We will study other state models where such a policy exists," a DJB officer informed PTI.
     Delhi, which is a landlocked city, heavily depends on the Yamuna and groundwater extraction to meet its water requirements.
     "If the water used for construction work is not up to standard then problems in the iron rods and concrete appear. If poor quality water is used then cracks appear on the building, bringing down the life of the structure. Hence, all these technical aspects are being studied," said an official source.
     However, according to the Central Ground Water Board's 2024 report, Delhi extracted more water than it recharged.
     According to the report, out of 34 assessment units (tehsils) of Delhi, 14 units have been categorized as 'over-exploited', 13 units as 'critical', two units as 'semi-critical' and five units as 'safe'.
     "Usually the norm in Delhi is that most of the construction companies extract water from the ground and then make it fit for construction after installing RO units on site to improve the quality of water. Some cities, like Gurugram and Pune, have a policy in place to use only STP-treated water for construction work," said Water Expert Ankit Srivastav.
     As the quality of water matters a lot in construction works, the Bureau of Indian Standards has laid out norms for the standard of water used for construction works. The pH level (acidity) of water should be between 6 and 8.5, and the total dissolved solids (TDS) level should be below 2000 particulate per matter (ppm).
     Currently, around 530 million gallons per day (MGD) of treated water is generated from all the sewage treatment plants of the city.
     Out of this, only around 105 MGD is currently utilized. This includes use for horticultural purposes on city roads and green spaces and rejuvenation of lakes.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)