The New Delhi Municipal Council has invited bids to set up eight decentralised sewage treatment plants under a public-private partnership model to supply treated water for horticulture, fountains and water bodies in the NDMC area. The project aims to reduce dependence on fresh water and to support the maintenance of the city's green cover amid limited freshwater availability. The request for proposal specifies that plants will have capacities ranging from 500 to 1,000 kilolitres per day (KLD) at locations including Shanti Path, Lodhi Garden, Sanjay Lake Park and Talkatora Garden.

Bids are scheduled to close on April 15, with a pre-bid meeting set for April 1, and private developers selected under the concession will be responsible for executing, operating and maintaining the STPs for 12 years. The tender document does not prescribe a fixed project cost and requires bidders to propose their own financial models while the tender value will be effectively determined through competitive bidding based on the lowest treated water rate quoted. The document requires an initial security deposit of Rs one million (mn) and a performance security of Rs four million (mn).

The NDMC, which caters to around 0.35 mn residents and to nearly 1.5 mn daily floating population, expects the project to conserve water and to strengthen environmental sustainability in the capital. Officials indicated that the treated sewage water is intended specifically for use in horticulture and for replenishing fountains and water bodies to free up potable supplies for other uses. The selected concessionaire will thus play a central role in delivering reliable treated water and in meeting the civic body's maintenance needs.

The initiative forms part of broader efforts to manage urban water resources more efficiently and to reduce pressure on conventional supplies. The bid process and contract terms aim to attract private investment while ensuring long term operation and maintenance through the concession period. The NDMC expects that the deployment of decentralised STPs will provide a sustainable source of treated water for the city's public green infrastructure.