Delhi's drinking water infrastructure is grappling with severe aging, with nearly half of its sprawling pipeline network over two decades old, leading to frequent leaks, contamination risks, and massive water losses. This stark revelation was made by Delhi's Water Minister, Parvesh Sahib Singh, in the Assembly on Friday, January 10, 2026.
A Legacy of Neglect and a Massive Revamp Plan
Minister Singh detailed that out of the capital's total 16,000-kilometer water pipeline network, a staggering 5,200 km of pipelines are more than 30 years old, and another 2,700 km are 20 years old. This means nearly 50% of the system is decades old. He attributed the current problems of dirty water, pipeline bursts, and irregular supply to "years of neglect, indecision and delay by previous governments," taking a clear dig at the preceding AAP administration.
The government has now embarked on a comprehensive overhaul plan estimated to cost around Rs 50,000 crore. Singh stated that the complete replacement of the aged network would take seven to eight years. However, in a phased approach, 7,000 km of old pipelines will be replaced in the next two years, and within the current government's tenure, they aim to revamp 30% of the network.
Inherited Challenges and New Initiatives
Singh described inheriting a water department in an "extremely difficult and neglected condition." He highlighted that the decayed infrastructure results in non-revenue water losses of up to 55%. Furthermore, the lack of proper sewage lines in unauthorized colonies leads to waste being discharged directly into the Yamuna River, exacerbating pollution.
To address this, the minister announced the revival of two major stalled projects:
- The Chandrawal Project: Worth Rs 2,406 crore, it involves laying 1,044 km of new pipelines and building 21 underground reservoirs, benefiting nine Assembly constituencies.
- The Wazirabad Project: A Rs 3,715 crore initiative with Asian Development Bank assistance, including 1,697 km of new pipelines and 14 reservoirs, covering 11 constituencies.
Additionally, 94 major works related to water pipelines, sewer networks, and Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs), worth Rs 7,212 crore, have been approved and work has begun.
Immediate Relief and Future Supply Augmentation
The government is also rolling out immediate relief measures. 300 tankers will soon be deployed to provide free septic tank cleaning services until every household is connected to the sewer network. To boost drinking water production, the government is in talks with neighbouring states.
"We are trying to get raw drinking water from Uttar Pradesh and Haryana and in exchange give them treated water for irrigation purposes," Singh said. This swap could potentially add 30 million gallons per day (MGD) to Delhi's supply. Before summer, 20 MGD capacity will be added to the Dwarka Water Treatment Plant via new tubewells, aiding areas like Dwarka, Najafgarh, and Vikas Puri.
The minister's statements came in response to multiple complaints from MLAs about dirty water supply in their constituencies, underscoring the urgent need for the massive infrastructure renewal now underway.
