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Delhi Faces Water Crisis: Potable Water Cut to 50GPCD
24 Mar
Summary
- Delhi's potable water demand to be reduced to 50GPCD.
- Recycled water vital for non-drinking uses by 2041.
- City relies heavily on neighboring states for water supply.
Delhi's water future hinges on a significant shift towards recycled water, as a new report outlines strategies to manage dwindling potable water availability. The city aims to rationalize and progressively reduce the demand for drinking water to 50 gallons per capita per day (GPCD) by 2041.
This plan necessitates meeting future needs, projected at 1,500 million gallons per day (MGD) for a population of 30 million, by using non-potable recycled water for purposes such as toilet flushing. The report indicates that future developments may see potable water availability restricted to 40 GPCD.
Currently, Delhi's total water supply remains static around 1,000MGD, with substantial reliance on neighboring states for raw water. To address pollution in sources like Wazirabad, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) is exploring augmenting groundwater extraction and blending it with surface water.
The framework suggests residential and non-residential consumption limits, with water for toilet flushing and industrial processes to be sourced from recycled wastewater, likely through a dual piping system.
