Delhiites can bank on groundwater

Saurabh Sinha

New Delhi, August 6

Groundwater is fast becoming the only hope for the city. The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) has identified two places on the Yamuna river bed

near Kalindi Kunj and Akshardham temple -- where tubewells can be installed to yield as much as 30 million gallons daily (MGD).

This will be in addition to the 30 MGD the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) already draws from about 100 tubewells in the Palla area of the riverbed. In all, about 300 MGD will be drawn to bridge the gap between the city's demand of 830 MGD and actual supply (after 20 per cent leakage) of about 500 MGD.

"This new source could even become the feeder for the Commonwealth village being built on the flood plain. If we are assured of constant flow of raw water, a small treatment plant can be built to supply safe water to the village," said a senior official.

But there is a catch. The level of ammonia in groundwater around the flood plain has shot up in the past few years because of the rampant use of fertilisers and pesticides in farming on this rich land. "We will do a joint survey of the groundwater along the river with CGWB to see if the sub-soil reserves here are usable. In the recent past, samples of water lifted from near the DND flyover have shown high level of ammonia," said the official