Delhi govt to introduce policy for use of treated water in construction

The state government said the move is meant to reduce groundwater extraction as well as extend the life of buildings since poor quality water can corrode iron and damage concrete

In a move to cut the use of groundwater, the Delhi government is working on a policy mandating the use of treated water in construction projects.

 

The plan was discussed in a meeting with senior officials from the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) earlier this week, news agency PTI reported on Saturday, quoting sources.

 

"We are working on a policy to use treated water for construction works, starting with the DJB projects. We will study other state models where such a policy exists," a DJB officer said.

 

As a landlocked city, Delhi relies heavily on the Yamuna river as well as groundwater sources for its water needs.

 

"If the water used for construction work is not up to standard, then problems in the iron rods and concrete appear. If poor-quality water is used, then cracks appear on the building, bringing down the life of the structure. Hence, all these technical aspects are being studied," an official added.

 

A 2024 report by the Central Ground Water Board shows that Delhi is extracting more groundwater than it recharges.

 

Out of the 34 assessed tehsils in Delhi, 14 are marked ‘over-exploited’, 13 as ‘critical’, two as ‘semi-critical’, and only five as ‘safe’.

 

"Usually the norm in Delhi is that most of the construction companies extract water from the ground and then make it fit for construction after installing RO units on site to improve the quality of water. Some cities, like Gurugram and Pune, have a policy in place to use only STP-treated water for construction work," said water expert Ankit Srivastav.

 

Since water quality is crucial for construction, the Bureau of Indian Standards has set guidelines for its use. The water’s pH level should be between 6 and 8.5, and total dissolved solids (TDS) should not exceed 2,000 parts per million (ppm).

 

Currently, Delhi’s sewage treatment plants generate about 530 million gallons per day (MGD) of treated water.

 

Of this, only around 105 MGD is used, mainly for roadside gardening, green areas, and lake restoration.