Delhi’s Rs 90-Cr Plan to Turn Sewage Water into Lush Parks and Greener Roads

In a transformative step toward sustainable urban development, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has greenlit a Rs 90-crore initiative to channel treated water from sewage treatment plants (STPs) for horticultural use across the national capital, announced Water Minister Parvesh Verma. Approved during a recent DJB board meeting chaired by Verma, the project involves laying dedicated pipelines to supply treated water to large green spaces, including Delhi Development Authority (DDA) parks and Public Works Department (PWD) central verges along major roads.

This ambitious move aims to fully utilize the city’s treated sewage output, addressing water scarcity for irrigation while advancing environmental conservation in one of India’s most populous urban centers.

The project tackles a critical gap in Delhi’s water management, where the current sewage treatment capacity of 600 million gallons per day (MGD) falls short of the estimated 792 MGD generated daily. Of the DJB’s 37 STPs, 18 are undergoing upgrades to enhance treatment quality and capacity, ensuring compliance with stringent environmental standards, such as reducing biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) to 10 mg/L, suitable for horticultural applications.

“Our aim is to utilise all the treated water generated from the STPs for horticulture and irrigation purposes,” Verma stated, noting that the initiative will target 90 key locations across Delhi, including high-demand areas like DDA-managed parks and PWD-maintained road verges, where water shortages have long hindered maintenance of green spaces.

Collaboration is central to the project’s execution, with the DDA and PWD partnering to lay pipelines and ensure seamless distribution of treated water to departments like the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and forest authorities. This inter-agency effort aligns with the DJB’s broader Sewerage Improvement Scheme (SIS), a master plan to overhaul the city’s aging sewerage infrastructure, which currently struggles with untreated sewage overflow into the Yamuna River.

By redirecting treated water for non-potable uses, the project not only conserves potable water but also mitigates environmental degradation, offering a dual benefit of urban greening and resource efficiency in a city grappling with water stress and pollution.

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Beyond horticulture, the DJB is exploring innovative applications for treated water, including reintroducing it into the Yamuna to improve the river’s ecological health, a critical issue given its high pollution levels. The upgraded STPs will produce water meeting government standards, enabling safe discharge into the river to enhance its flow and quality.

This aligns with national initiatives like the Namami Gange program, which seeks to rejuvenate India’s rivers through sustainable wastewater management. The Rs 90-crore project, expected to roll out over the next two years, will leverage advanced treatment technologies to ensure consistent quality, with pilot phases targeting high-visibility green zones like Lodhi Garden and Nehru Park.

The initiative has sparked optimism among environmentalists and urban planners, who see it as a model for circular water economies in water-scarce cities. By repurposing treated sewage, Delhi aims to reduce groundwater depletion and alleviate pressure on the Yamuna, which supplies 70% of the city’s drinking water.

Verma emphasized the project’s potential to transform Delhi’s landscape, stating, “We have seen issues of lack of water supply in some parts; this will solve that.” As the DJB finalizes the 90 target locations and begins pipeline installation, the project promises to enhance Delhi’s green cover, improve public spaces, and set a precedent for sustainable urban water management across India.

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