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Only one-third of treated sewage water used in Noida, rest goes in drains, NGT told

Even with these projections, the Noida Authority will be far from utilising the treated sewage generated at its sewage treatment plants, with a significant volume continuing to be discharged into drains.

NoidaThe next hearing in the matter is scheduled for February 5.

Seven months after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) flagged the underutilisation of treated sewage water in Noida, the Noida Authority’s projections to enhance the usage has failed to impress the Tribunal. Despite treating all the wastewater generated in the city, the Authority is reusing only one-third of it and continues to discharge the rest into drains, it informed the Tribunal in an affidavit made public on December 29.

As per the projections, it aims to enhance the usage to around 46% of the total treated water, which, according to experts, does not help the current problem. The case stems from the matter taken up suo motu by the Tribunal.

Stating that it is treating 260 million litres per day (MLD) of wastewater through its eight sewage treatment plants (STPs), the Authority told the Tribunal that it is currently reusing only 86 MLD, with the remaining 174 MLD being discharged directly into drains.

This treated wastewater is being reused for irrigation of parks, wetlands, construction projects, horticulture and fire fighting.

According to the affidavit, the Noida Authority had earlier projected that the reuse of treated sewage water would be enhanced by 42 million litres per day (MLD) in phases — 20 MLD by December 2025 and a further 22 MLD by the second quarter of 2026. However, the Authority has now said that reuse has so far begun for only 8 MLD of treated water. It added that by the second quarter of 2026, the total reuse of treated sewage water is expected to rise to around 34 MLD.

Even with these projections, the Noida Authority will be far from utilising the treated sewage generated at its sewage treatment plants, with a significant volume continuing to be discharged into drains.

The NGT, in its order dated May 15, 2025, had recorded, “…as per the disclosure made therein, it will be able to utilise only 120 MLD of STP treated water by 2nd quarter of 2026 meaning thereby even 50% of the STP treated water will not be utilised as per the existing plan up to the second quarter of 2026.”

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“The Authority continues to project future reuse targets without addressing this present non-compliance. Even if all these projections are met, the total reuse would rise only to around 120 MLD. That would still leave nearly 140 MLD of treated sewage water flowing into drains.” Amit Gupta, a Noida-based activist said.

The next hearing in the matter is scheduled for February 5.

Saman Husain is a Correspondent at The Indian Express. Based in New Delhi, she is an emerging voice in political journalism, reporting on civic governance, elections, migration, and the social consequences of policy, with a focus on ground-reporting across Delhi-NCR and western Uttar Pradesh. Professional Profile Education: She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science (Honours) from Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi, and is an alumna of the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai. Core Beats: Her reporting focuses on the national capital’s governance and politics. She specializes in Delhi’s civic administration and the city units of the BJP, AAP and Congress. In western Uttar Pradesh, she mostly reports on crime. Specialization: She has a keen interest in electoral processes and politics — her recent contributions include work on electoral roll revisions. Recent Notable Articles (since July 2025) Her recent work reflects a strong show-not-tell approach to storytelling, combining narrative reporting with political and historical context: 1. Politics: “On the banks of the Yamuna, a political tussle for Purvanchali support” (October 6): A report on how migration histories shaped electoral strategies in Delhi before the Bihar elections. “Explained: How Delhi’s natural drainage vanished gradually over the centuries” (September 29): An explanatory piece tracing the historical reasons that eventually led to the erosion of Delhi’s rivers and its impact on perrenial flooding. 2. Longforms “Four weddings, three funerals: How a Uttar Pradesh man swindled insurance companies” (October 7): A long-read reconstructing a chilling fraud by a man who killed three of his family members, including both his parents for insurance proceeds. His fourth wife discovered his fraud… “How Ghaziabad conman operated fake embassy of a country that doesn’t exist — for 9 years” (July 27) : A story on bizarre fraud operation and the institutional blind spots that enabled it. 3. Crime and Justice: “He was 8 when his father was killed. Fifteen years later, in UP’s Shamli, he took revenge” (October 18): A deeply reported crime story tracing cycles of violence, memory and justice in rural Uttar Pradesh. “Who killed 19 girls in Nithari? With the SC rejecting appeals, there are no answers and no closure” (July 31): A report capturing the long legal and emotional aftermath of one of India’s most chilling unsolved criminal cases. 4. Policy Impact “At Manthan, over US tariffs, Delhi-NCR’s apparel industry brainstorms solutions” (September 8) and “Trump’s 50% tariff begins to bite: Agra’s leather belt feels the impact” (August 13) : Reports documenting how global trade decisions ripple through local industries, workers and exporters. Signature Style Saman is recognized for her grassroots storytelling. Her articles often focus on the "people behind the policy". She is particularly skilled at taking mundane administrative processes and turning them into compelling human narratives. X (Twitter): @SamanHusain9 ... Read More

Sophiya Mathew is a Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in New Delhi. She joined the Delhi bureau in 2024, and has specialization in Integrated Multimedia Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai. Professional Background Core Beats: Her reporting is primarily focused on the Environment and Education. Specialization: She has gained recognition for her ground-level reporting on the Yamuna floodplains and the socio-economic challenges faced by those living on its banks. She also focuses on the disparities in Delhi's education system, ranging from elite private schools to government institutions and refugee education. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) Her recent work has been heavily centered on Delhi's severe winter pollution crisis and the government's regulatory responses: 1. The Air Pollution Crisis "A tale of two cities: Delhi govt schools choke in bad air, private classrooms set up air filters" (Dec 20, 2025): A high-impact feature contrasting the "Clean Air Bubbles" in elite schools with the reality of government school students who are exposed to an equivalent of 17 cigarettes a day due to outdoor exposure. "Delhi sees season's worst air day, second worst December AQI in nearly a decade" (Dec 15, 2025): An analytical report on the meteorological patterns trapping pollutants in the NCR. "Delhi bans non-BS VI vehicles from outside: Why curbing vehicular pollution is key" (Dec 17, 2025): Explaining the science behind targeting specific vehicle vintages to lower particulate matter. 2. Enforcement & Regulations "No fuel at pumps in Delhi without valid PUC certificate from December 18" (Dec 17, 2025): Breaking the news on the environment ministry's strict "No PUC, No Fuel" policy. 3. Education Policy "Law to regulate school fee in Delhi risks becoming procedural, say parents" (Dec 13, 2025): Investigating the loopholes in the new Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025. "Monsoon Session: Private school fee regulation Bill cleared after four-hour debate" (Aug 9, 2025): Covering the legislative passage of the controversial fee hike regulation. Signature Style Sophiya is known for her observational depth. Her reporting often includes vivid details from school corridors, hospital waitlists, or the banks of the Yamuna to illustrate how policy failures affect the city's most vulnerable residents. She is a frequent expert guest on the 3 Things podcast, where she explains the complexities of Delhi’s environmental laws. X (Twitter): @SophiyaMathew1 ... Read More

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