DJB constructs treatment plant at Okhla

Tribune News Service 

New Delhi, September 15

In order to encourage the use of treated effluent for non-potable purposes, the Delhi Jal Board has constructed a Tertiary Treatment Plant of 10 million litres per day capacity at Okhla. 

The plant has been commissioned recently and is producing water of high quality from sewage which can be used for non-potable purposes. The recycled water has tertiary level quality parameters of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and total suspended solids (TSS) which will be less than 5 mg/l.

The DJB has started supplying recycled water from the plant to the DTC Depot at Sukhdev Vihar for washing of buses. Earlier, ground water was being used for washing of buses which has now been stopped. Using recycled water for washing buses will enable a saving of 50,000 litres of ground water every day. 

It is also laying pipelines in Okhla industrial area phase II to supply recycled water from the newly commissioned Tertiary Treatment Plant for industrial and other non-drinking uses. Supply of recycled water to Okhla industrial area will start in six months and will save lakhs of litres of ground water and drinking water. Other potential uses of recycled water are also being identified. 

Minister for Water and DJB chairperson Kapil Mishra said, "The proper disposal of treatment plant effluent is an essential part of planning and designing wastewater treatment facilities. The DJB is doing a commendable job of promoting the use of treated effluent for non-potable purposes and at present 420 MGD of treated effluent is being produced at all the 36 wastewater treatment plants of DJB. This government is looking to use all of this water for non-potable purposes to reduce stress on potable water."

With the use of tertiary treatment, the DJB is ensuring that recycled water of substantially improved quality is available for reuse, i.e. for washing or for cooling, construction and many other such non-potable purposes. This will reduce stress on drinking water, reduce extraction of ground water and also bridge the demand-supply gap.