Delhi's water supply skewed and mismanaged

Total water supply in Delhi:
3,800 million litres a day (MLD) as per the survey by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in 2005-06

Per person water availability:
241 lpcd

Demand for water in Delhi:
251 lpcd (as of 2011) of which 172 lpcd is for domestic purpose

Water losses:
52% water is lost through leakages or is unaccounted for

Net water availability:
1,824 MLD or 115 litres per person

Total Demand:
3,973 MLD (2008-09)

Demand and supply gap (after losses):
2,149 MLD

Population served by the water supply network:
75 per cent

Water tension

Delhi's own water resources meet only 15% of the total demand

88% water requirement from surface water, including water from the Yamuna river, the Ganga and the Bhakra dam.12% from ground water

184 MLD water is sourced from the city's tubewells

According to the Central Ground Water Board, in 1977, only 25 %  areas in Delhi had saline water. Now almost 45% has brackish water, which is not recommended for domestic use

For the privileged few

Total water supply connections:
1,715,000 (according to Delhi Jal Board)

Supply range:
As little as 29 lpcd in Mehrauli zone in south Delhi to a high of 509 lpcd  in the privileged residential zone of Delhi Cantonment and 462 lpcd in New Delhi Municipal Corporation area (as per CSE survey)

Sewage generated more than water supplied

Sewage generated by Delhi:
4,456 MLD (as per Central Pollution Control Board  data; includes domestic and industrial sewage) Sewage generated from the city 656 MLD more than the water supplied

Insecure future

Bhagirathi:
734 MLD (already operational as it feeds Sonia Vihar treatment plant)

Renuka Dam on Giri (proposed):
1,399 MLD

Lakhvar Vyasi and Kisau dams (proposed):
1,685 MLD DJB proposes to meet shortage of up to 757.08 MLD by developing a system of tubewells in flood plains of western Uttar Pradesh and Haryana

Delhi's projected water requirement:
6,965.15 MLD (as per Delhi Development Authority's Master Plan-2021)

Projected shortfall in supply:
3,406.87 MLD (if proposed projects not completed)

Shortfall (after assuming Bhagirathi and other proposed projects including Renuka Dam start supply water):
1,745.07 MLD

- Compiled by Anupam Chakravartty