Improving Delhi’s groundwater level: Kejriwal

NEW DELHI: After visiting the Rohini sewage treatment plant on Friday, Chief Minister of NCT of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal said that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) administration is trying to increase production capacity by recharging groundwater in order to give 24 hours water to all Delhi residents.

He added that the Delhi government is working on a mix of natural and scientific solutions to keep waste out of the Yamuna River, and that water production levels have increased from 930 millions of gallons per day (MGD) to 990 MGD. He stated that the government is creating lakes alongside the Rohini sewage treatment plants (STP) to increase groundwater levels. Whereas the water earlier treated at the STP was released into the Yamuna River, now it will be diverted towards the newly developing lake to rejuvenate underwater levels.

“Delhi gets water from neighbouring states as per the allotment made in the 1990s by the Supreme Court; the quantity hasn’t been increased since,” the CM remarked, referring to water difficulties between Delhi and Haryana. Delhi’s population has grown from less than 1 million in the 1990s to 2.5 million today. We are attempting to supplement water production capacity both internally and by requesting that the Centre increases Delhi’s allocation of water from other states. The Rohini STP will provide CM Kejriwal added that the Delhi government is trying to implement advanced water management systems to boost water supply in Delhi using internal sources. The government is also working to install tube wells in a number of locations to extract drinking water. This system will be in place and working by February 2023.

The government aims to transform Delhi into a “City of Lakes,” with plans to rejuvenate 250 water bodies including 23 lakes, including the one in Rohini. The project’s goal is to build various water reservoirs across the city to prevent urban flooding and clogged drains.