The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has initiated a Rs 3-billion infrastructure project under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) to address the recurring issue of interrupted water supply in the capital. Approved during a recent DJB board meeting, the project aims to improve the reliability of water treatment operations, especially during periods when raw water quality from the Yamuna River deteriorates.

A key component of the project is the construction of an 11-kilometre-long, 2,400-mm diameter pipeline. This new pipeline will link the Haiderpur Water Treatment Plant (WTP) with the Wazirabad barrage, creating an alternative route for raw water supply when ammonia levels in the Yamuna exceed treatable limits. The Haiderpur WTP receives its water through the Carrier Line Channel (CLC), also known as the Munak Canal, which originates from Karnal, Haryana, and currently supplies approximately 680 cusecs of water to multiple treatment facilities in Delhi.

The additional pipeline will help reduce reliance on water drawn directly from the Yamuna via the Wazirabad source, thereby supporting continuous operations at water treatment plants such as Wazirabad and Chandrawal. This measure is particularly significant in light of recent spikes in ammonia levels in the Yamuna, which have reached up to five parts per million (ppm)—far above the one ppm limit that existing treatment infrastructure can handle.

In parallel with the pipeline construction, desilting activities are being carried out at the Wazirabad plant. These efforts are expected to double the facility’s raw water storage capacity within the next one to one-and-a-half months, further enhancing Delhi’s water resilience during periods of pollution-related disruptions. The entire project is slated for completion within two years.

News source: Projects Today