NEW DELHI: Water Minister Atishi inspected Delhi Jal Board’s Wazirabad Water Treatment Plant and reservoir on Wednesday and gained an understanding of the plant’s operational procedures. During the inspection of the Wazirabad Reservoir, she inquired about the status of its desilting from officials.
It is to be noted that this reservoir is a water storage facility within the Yamuna River, where silt accumulates due to water retention. Additionally, this year, an unexpected flood in the Yamuna has increased the amount of silt here.
In light of this, the government is arranging for the desilting of this reservoir. Officials informed the Water Minister that the tender process for desilting is nearly complete. They also mentioned that after desilting, the reservoir’s capacity will increase by several crores of liters, which can be used to mitigate water shortages during low-supply days.
She instructed officials to expedite the desilting process. The AAP government is taking steps to address rising ammonia levels in the Wazirabad reservoir by planning to install an in-situ ammonia treatment system. During a recent visit, the minister directed officials to expedite the project.
The issue arises from industrial pollution in Haryana, where water from Sonipat, Panipat, and Rohtak flows into the Yamuna River, increasing ammonia levels at various points. Presently, water treatment plants are forced to shut down when ammonia levels exceed capacity.
With the new in-situ treatment system, the reservoir will be capable of treating water with higher ammonia levels, allowing the plants to remain operational. Atishi also inspected the recycling plant. It is to be noted that Wazirabad has an 11 MGD (Million Gallons per Day) recycling plant to convert treated wastewater from Wazirabad into potable water. The purified water from this plant is supplied to the Burari area.