DJB will revise policy on pipelines to plug leakages

New Delhi: In a bid to prevent leakages, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has decided to go for a policy revision regarding changing pipelines at the level of individual house connections.

The water utility’s “Walk the Line” survey, which started in December last year to scan the entire Delhi water network for leakage and contamination, is set to be completed by March first week. It has identified 1.25 lakh such connections where maximum leakage is taking place as individuals don’t come forward for replacing the pipelines after their shelf life is over.

“Pipelines can work up to their full capacity till 10 years and to replace them is a household-level responsibility. They have to apply for it. But that doesn’t happen and pipes decay and when water pressure comes, they start leaking. Thus, it also acts as entry point of nearby contaminated water that gets into the pipeline. Now, the DJB has decided to take the responsibility. But we have to do a policy revision for that and it will come in the Cabinet soon,” said a DJB official.

The survey was first-of-its kind in the country and a first in the world in terms of the length of pipeline network — 13,000 km. Under this, around 3,500 DJB staff in different teams surveyed the entire length, checking for leakages, unauthorised connections and defective valves.

The idea was to identify vulnerable points where contamination is happening and also to check if there is a possibility of maintenance and prevention in some areas. “We also found out that in some areas, distribution network come in contact with various other external factors like traffic passing above them, or some other agency is carrying out some excavation work due to which the pipes get damaged. Also, households have pressure booster pumps and when they start them during supply hours, it creates additional pressure on pipes, which leads to leakages,” he said.

The official added that ways will be devised to deal with all such problem areas before this summer.

“We are also taking up parallel activities like fixing areas based on previous information and complaints and developing additional sources like borewells for pockets which do not get water supply in an otherwise water sufficient neighbourhood,” he said.