‘96% unauthorised colonies covered with regular water supply’

New Delhi: About ninety-six per cent of unauthorised colonies here have regular water supply and around 93 per cent households access to piped water supply, according to the Delhi Economic Survey 2022-23. The report, which was tabled in the Delhi assembly by Finance Minister Kailash Gahlot on Monday, said since January 2014, around 21.39 lakh consumers have benefited from free water of up to 20 kilolitres.

“In a remarkable achievement, GNCTD (Delhi government) has been able to provide regular water supply to unserved and under-served areas, and has covered unauthorised colonies, which is about 96 per cent of total unauthorised colonies in Delhi and efforts have been made to cover remaining unauthorised colonies,” the survey noted.

“The Delhi government ensured free lifeline water up to 20 kilolitres to every household having metered water connection and around 21.39 lakhs consumers have been benefited under this scheme since its inception,” the Delhi Economic Survey said. The priority areas of the Arvind Kejriwal government in the water and sanitation sector is to augment water supply from sources outside Delhi such as Renuka Dam in Himachal Pradesh and Kishau Dam and Lakhwar-Vyasi Dam in Uttarakhand, getting underground water from Yamuna floodplains by way of recharging ponds, and augmenting internal sources, including through recycling of water, water harvesting, plugging leakages of water, reducing non-revenue water through proper water accounting and installation of bulk meters, according to the survey.

The DJB has improved its governance and undertaken a number of measures for proper demand-side planning, efficient management of water distribution, water audit and accounting, and a transparent tanker water distribution system using GPS and GPRS, it said.

“About 93 per cent households of Delhi now have access to piped water supply. Water production during summer season is being maintained at 956 MGD per day consistently. Water is supplied through existing water supply network comprising 15,383-km long pipelines and more than 117 underground reservoirs,” the DES said.