The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) it seems, is unable to properly utilise the water released from the city’s various sewage treatment plants.
As per official information, DJB treats around 450 MGD (millions of gallons) sewage water per day from 27 STPs located in the national capital. However, hardly 89 MGD of that water is utilised whereas the rest is released in the drains.
City Spidey questioned a senior DJB official regarding the purpose of spending huge amount of money on setting up STPs when the treated water was being mixed with the same dirty water in the end. Delhi News
The official replied that DJB is ready to provide water for free of cost but users need to provide proper infrastructure for supply of water from the STPs to the designated places.
“The issue of providing sewage treated water to different agencies including civic authorities has been discussed in various meetings. However the major question remains as to who would bear the cost of the infrastructure required to supply the water to the authorities?” an official said on condition of anonymity.
The officer, further added, “Civic authorities can use this water for gardening and other horticulture purposes but they are not doing it. It can happen only if use of ground water is completely banned.”
On the other hand, a recent survey of Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has made shocking revelations about the treated water. The survey which was conducted on 22 STPs revealed that the water treated in 10 STPs failed to meet international quality standards.
A DPCC official was of the view that the STPs failed on two parameters - Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Total Suspended Solid (TSS). He further added that BOD is the amount of dissolved oxygen needed for organisms to break down organic matter in water.
