India water infrastructure: Haryana and Delhi announce major supply upgrades

Major water infrastructure upgrades are being launched in Haryana and Delhi to improve supply quality and reduce losses.

In Haryana, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini announced an allocation of ₹1,000 crore to overhaul the state’s aging water supply network. The initiative focuses on rebuilding 466 old brick-built water works into reinforced cement concrete structures to prevent groundwater seepage, which has increased fluoride and total dissolved solids (TDS) levels. The government also aims to transition from tubewell-fed schemes to canal-based supply to alleviate pressure on over-exploited groundwater levels.

In Delhi, a ₹2,500 crore improvement project is being implemented with 70% of the funding provided by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Managed by the Delhi Jal Board, the project includes constructing or refurbishing approximately 836 km of distribution networks and establishing 131 District Metered Areas (DMAs) to track leakages. The plan seeks to reduce non-revenue water to 15% through pipe rehabilitation and household metering, specifically targeting areas around the Wazirabad Water Treatment Plant.