NEW DELHI: The Delhi Jal Board has started installing flow meters on primary and secondary underground reservoirs. Till now, the Board does not have real-time data on loss of water in the distribution network. A senior officer of the board confirmed that installation of bulk meters have been started. The Chief Minister asked the board to put in place a method for collection of data on water losses. Delhi has an installed capacity for the supply of 900 million gallons a day (MGD), and while there are no definitive figures for water loss during transmission and distribution, it is estimated to be a bit over 45 per cent. The CM sees this as a major concern.
Delhi allocated Rs 2,777.5 crore for water supply and sewage treatment for 2018-19. Nearly, 3,000 bulk meters will be installed in the Capital to check the amount of water being supplied to colonies. According to DJB officials, a significant amount of distribution losses happen at the stage of the water reaching the household because the pipes at this point are often neglected and unrepaired. The flow meters, though planned at the underground reservoir stages, are likely to provide concrete indicators of where most of water losses occur, sources said.
The current system takes the city's water through 10 water treatment plants to 117 primary reservoirs and from there to 500 secondary reservoirs. It is from here that the water is supplied to consumers. The figure of 45-50 per cent loss of supplied water is based on feedbacks and estimated capacities. The use of flow meters will make it possible to track the actual losses. "In the last review of Jal Board, it came to notice that 47 per cent of water in Delhi is non-revenue water. It means, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) does not know about its water loss due to theft or leakage," said, a senior officer.
The city, which has a population of about 2 crore, gets 900 MGD water. This means that there is 200 litre of water available per capita per day which shows there is no shortage of water in Delhi, said senior officer. These meters will be installed at all water treatment plants, primary and secondary underground water reservoirs, to prevent water theft.