New Delhi, March 12 As the demand for water is expected to rise as summer approaches, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) on Thursday unveiled its Summer Action Plan-2026, aimed at ensuring a continuous supply of potable water across its jurisdiction.
NDMC Vice Chairman Kuljeet Singh Chahal said the plan focuses on strengthening infrastructure, improving emergency response, and expanding access to safe drinking water, particularly in areas that experience recurring shortages during peak summer months.
Officials said that 37 water ATMs are operational in NDMC areas, of which 17 dispense water on a payment basis, while the rest provide free drinking water.
"The council now plans to install around 50 additional water ATMs in NDMC areas, including locations near JJ clusters, which will provide drinking water free of cost. We are also proposing the installation of such units outside NDMC and Navyug schools so that students, parents, and visitors can access safe drinking water," Chahal said.
To boost emergency supply, the civic body is procuring 12 new mounted water tankers for deployment during peak summer.
Officials said that currently, NDMC receives most of its potable water from the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) through tapping points linked to major water treatment plants at Chandrawal, Wazirabad, Haiderpur, and Sonia Vihar.
The total water availability in NDMC areas is around 127 million litres per day (MLD), including about 125 MLD from DJB and nearly 2.08 MLD from tube wells in the area.
Officials said that NDMC distributes water through 24 underground reservoirs equipped with boosting stations, supplying different localities generally twice a day -- in the morning and evening.
To improve water management, NDMC is also developing a water control room at RK Ashram with a storage capacity of one million litres. The facility, expected to be completed within seven to nine months, is aimed at strengthening monitoring and enabling faster response during supply disruptions, officials said.
The civic body has also enhanced emergency infrastructure. Five water trolleys with a capacity of about 5,000 litres each have been fitted with pumps to ensure quick water supply during emergencies.
According to officials, in Sarojini Nagar's GPRA Colony, permission has been granted to install four borewells, of which two are already ready for operation, to improve water availability in the locality.
"A pilot 24×7 water supply project at Vinay Marg is nearing completion and aims to provide a continuous water supply while reducing losses in the system," Chahal said.
To reduce dependence on groundwater, the council is promoting the use of treated water. Ten decentralized sewage treatment plants with a combined capacity of about 2,750 kilolitres per day are currently operational and are used for horticulture and irrigation.
In addition, 95 rainwater harvesting pits are proposed for construction in consultation with the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) to improve groundwater recharge.
Officials said that samples are regularly collected from reservoirs, pipelines, and households, and in case of contamination complaints, water supply to affected areas is immediately halted while tankers provide drinking water until the issue is resolved.
NDMC has also appealed to residents to conserve water by avoiding wastage, checking leakages, using buckets instead of running taps, and watering plants during early morning or evening hours.
