Kejriwal says Delhi to hire consultant for 24X7 water supply

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday (September 26) said that in the next five years, the AAP government would ensure 24 hours supply of potable water to households in the national capital and that a consultant would be hired for better water management.

In a meeting on Thursday of Delhi Jal Board (DJB), the state agency responsible for supply of potable water to most of NCT, he said the process was initiated for the appointment of a consultant who would recommend the government on 24X7 water supply to households.

Promising round-the-clock water supply in the next five years, he also refuted allegations that water supply in the national capital was being privatised. “Water supply cannot be privatised. It can never happen. I assure you this,” he told a digital press conference.

Kejriwal said in the capital cities of developed nations, water is available round-the-clock with proper pressure and there is no need for a submersible pump. “We will make it happen in Delhi. The city’s water supply will be as good as in developed nations,” Kejriwal said.

He said a lot of water goes to waste in Delhi. The DJB supplies 930 million gallons of water per day to the city — 176 litres per person. Of this, a lot of water gets stolen and leaked. Accountability should be fixed for every drop of water. There should not be any wastage, he asserted.

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He said, “We are hiring a consultant which will tell us how to improve our water supply management and to ensure that not even a drop of water is wasted. We have started walking in the direction of providing round-the-clock water supply.”

“The consultant will tell us about the state-of-art technology, such as SCADA system, with the help of which water supply can be managed from the central control room,” he said. He also informed that his government has been working to increase water availability in Delhi.

“We have been working to increase water availability in Delhi. We have been talking to the governments of Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and other states, which have more water,” the chief minister said.

(With inputs from agencies)