DJB will now provide water connections to all households directly

The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) will now provide all household water connections without any intermediaries, as per the decision taken at a board meeting of the DJB held by Delhi Water Minister Satyendar Jain.

While the DJB maintains a pipeline network of around 13,000 km, the connection from the pipeline to the household had to be drawn by the individual consumer. The new decision means that the DJB will lay pipelines as well as install connections and meters. With the DJB taking charge of all connections, handling damaged pipelines, contamination, and unauthorised connections could become easier, said a communication from the government. This can also help provide new meter connections in upcoming colonies.

Satyendar Jain, Delhi Jal Board Chairman, said that all the household water connections will now be provided by Delhi Jal Board itself an  intermediaries will be removed. The Water Minister approved the  project of installing a 20 MGD (Million Gallons per Day) RO plant at Okhla.

Rates vary depending on the category of the residential colony. The  DJB has approved a cost of Rs 4,000 for residential connections in colonies under categories A, B and C, while a commercial connection  will cost Rs 8,000 in these categories. Residential connections in  categories D and E will cost Rs 2,000, with commercial connections  priced at Rs 4,000. A rate of Rs 1,000 will be levied for F, G, and H  category colonies and villages, while commercial connections in these  areas will cost Rs 2,000.

Advocate Dr K S Bhati, President, Dwarka Residents Welfare Federation,  said, “Jal Boards proposal to provide potable water to every household is a welcoming one. Residents of  Housing Societies are presently facing  a grave problem of having potable and sufficient water drinking as  well as domestic maintenance supply. ROs installed in Households  destroy natural minerals too. It may also eradicate the use of  groundwater and its illegal extraction.

The installation of an RO plant with a capacity of 20 million gallons per day at Okhla, was also approved. The RO plant will be fed by lakes  and groundwater, while treated water will be transported to homes  using the existing pipeline network. The project is expected to be complete by May 2022. A private investor will operate the plant.