The Delhi government is planning an extensive survey of borewells to frame a water usage policy, considering the city's growing drinking water demand and future needs. The Delhi Jal Board has appointed the Centre's PSU WAPCOS to determine the exact amount of groundwater being extracted. This aims to enable controlled water withdrawal.
With Delhi's limited water sources and growing population, dependency on groundwater is increasing. A senior government official said, "With Delhi’s population projected to increase to 29 million by 2041 and 32.1 million by 2051, the city’s drinking water demand is expected to rise to 1,418 MGD and 1,566 MGD, respectively. Further, the DDA’s proposed Master Plan, TOD scheme and land pooling policy are expected to add to the population…and there will be no source of water in the near future, hence there will be more dependency on groundwater."
Thus, detailed planning and action are required to control groundwater extraction and curb uncontrolled water withdrawal through borewells. The matter was discussed in a recently held meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has nominated WAPCOS for a comprehensive borewell survey. WAPCOS is developing a sample survey plan and has requested a 20-month timeframe. As per the Cabinet decision, the Environment department has started work on a new borewell policy, which may include provisions for self-declaration by borewell holders to determine their number.
Currently, DJB operates 10 water treatment plants producing 990-1,000 MGD, with 135 MGD fetched through tubewells. According to the Delhi government’s recent Statistical Handbook, there are 21,477 tubewells for irrigation purposes. Official data shows around 5,000 borewells, though experts state the actual number is much higher.
The BJP government is also likely to start discussions with Haryana on the old water-sharing agreement. With no major sources of water, Delhi heavily depends on the Yamuna and groundwater extraction. As per the Central Ground Water Board’s 2024 report, Delhi extracted more water than it recharged. Out of 34 assessment units, 14 are ‘over-exploited’, 13 ‘critical’, two ‘semi-critical’, and five ‘safe’. The DJB is also taking steps to reduce Non-Water Revenue (NWR).
