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To stop untreated sewage entering Yamuna, Delhi to get 15 new decentralised treatment plants
“These projects are expected to benefit around 20 lakh residents," said Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh, adding that the work is set to be completed within 21 months.
According to Environment department records, there has been a marginal increase in Delhi's utilisation of installed sewage treatment capacity over the last three years – rising from 74.2% in 2022 to 79.16% in 2024, and reaching 80.9% in 2025.
Seeking to tackle the single largest source of pollution entering Yamuna river, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) on Wednesday approved sewerage and wastewater treatment projects worth around Rs 4,500 crore, including setting up of 15 decentralised sewage treatment plants (DSTPs), covering 1,000 km of sewer lines and upgrading existing treatment infrastructure.
“These projects are expected to benefit around 20 lakh residents,” said Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh, adding that the work is set to be completed within 21 months.
In a statement, the government said the new plants will cater largely to areas where sewer infrastructure remains inadequate.
While the city has steadily expanded its sewage treatment capacity over the years, large volumes of wastewater still enter drains – either because many colonies remain unconnected to the sewer network or sewage has to travel a long distance before reaching treatment plants.
Delhi currently has 22 drains discharging wastewater into Yamuna, with Najafgarh and Shahdara drains alone contributing around 80% of the total pollution load observed in the Capital.
Singh said that while 13 DSTPs had been approved earlier, the DJB has now awarded 15 additional DSTPs with a combined treatment capacity of 103.5 MGD at an investment of nearly Rs 2,000 crore.
Officials said the together, the DSTPs will add 227 million gallons per day (MGD) of treatment capacity, taking Delhi’s overall sewage treatment capacity from 814 MGD to 1,041 MGD – exceeding the current sewage load of around 1,000 MGD generated by the city.
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Unlike large centralised STPs that require wastewater to travel over long distances through trunk sewers, decentralised sewage treatment plants are located closer to where sewage is generated and can help in tapping of drains directly at the source. Officials said this reduces dependence on extensive sewer networks, lowers pumping requirements and allows wastewater from unsewered or rapidly urbanising areas to be intercepted and treated before it enters nearby drains flowing into the Yamuna.
According to Environment department records, there has been a marginal increase in Delhi’s utilisation of installed sewage treatment capacity over the last three years – rising from 74.2% in 2022 to 79.16% in 2024, and reaching 80.9% in 2025.
Despite this, a substantial volume of sewage remains untreated due to a daily deficit of around 174 MGD.
“It was a long-term requirement foreseeing that the city will need to expand its sewage treatment capacity, considering population growth, urban expansion and redevelopment of residential and commercial areas,” a senior DJB official said.
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Alongside the plants, the DJB also approved laying of 989 km of new sewer pipelines and providing household sewer connections across 244 colonies and 57 villages. It further approved upgrades to existing treatment plants, a new 35 MGD STP, sludge management facilities at 10 existing STPs and in-situ treatment of the Delhi Gate drain.
The DJB currently operates 37 STPs with a treatment capacity of 814 MGD, up from 749 MGD earlier this year.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
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