Arun Mathur, CEO DJB is confident that the DJB will go from strength to strength What are the noteworthy water management projects launched in the city and what is the potential for improving supply and distribution? DJB has, through a variety of management initiatives, ensured availability of safe and potable water for all citizens. Among the key projects is the project of construction of recycling plants at the existing water treatment plants; Haiderpur, Wazirabad, Bhagirathi and Chandrawal. To be commissioned between April-September this year, they will add around 40 MGD. The completion, by Haryana, of parallel lined canals from Munak to Haiderpur will also add 80 MGD of water. Are your existing water treatment plants functioning to their full capacity and what about supply difficulties from neighbouring states ? The Nangloi Water Treatment Plant produces only 20 MGD of water despite a capacity of 40 MGD. After seven years we have finally secured a direction from the Central Water Commission, Ministry of Water Resources on the basis of which we expect to receive additional water for Nangloi Water Treatment Plant very shortly. We hope Haryana will comply with the CWC directions and Supreme Court orders and release the water. The Sonia Vihar Water Treatment Plant is also receiving around 110 MGD of water though it can produce 140 MGD. We are hoping for a MoU with Uttar Pradesh to bring it up to maximum potential. Delhi is always short of water. How will DJB cope in the future? Delhi currently requires around 950 MGD of water. DJB supplies around 750 MGD. The city adds around 4-5 lakh people to its population annually by way of immigration and we have managed to ensure supply, in one form or the other, to everyone. We have also embarked on a major exercise to improve our water distribution infrastructure. For this purpose, 53 new underground reservoirs with booster pumping stations are being built all over Delhi so that supply will be more rational and equitable in the command areas of these UGRs. How have you ensured that you are geared up for the coming season? During winters DJB ensures that all our Water Treatment Plants and the distribution network is properly maintained and overhauled. We are preparing a zone wise summer action plan document in order to ensure that complaints of consumers are anticipated and promptly and effectively redressed. We are confident that we would be able to ensure a good summer for the citizens of Delhi. Is there a significant policy development vis a - vis wastewater treatment in DJB and the Yamuna river? After years of criticism, the in house solution by DJB is being implemented for Yamuna. This will ensure that the three major drains (Najafgarh, Supplementary and Shahdara) do not receive any untreated sewage from the large number of unplanned colonies. Simultaneously, DJB is going to ensure that its entire trunk sewer network is totally rehabilitated so that the sewage treatment plants are able to function to their optimal capacity. Is DJB planning to privatise any areas of its functioning? No. Not at all. Committed to modernising several areas of our functioning, we will be open to hiring local and international expertise for reforms in sectors needing improvement. What are challenges facing DJB? Supply of drinking water to 1.60 crore population of Delhi is a complex task. Yet we ensure availability of potable water supply for all residents. The unplanned nature of settlements causes difficulties and distribution bottlenecks. The rehabilitation of sewers is also difficult for similar reasons. But with modern technology, rehabilitation works are done through trenchless technology involving minimum dislocation to the public. DJB stands committed to ensure that it will cover a majority of the population of the city through piped supply network as well as provide appropriate sewage management systems to all residents as soon as it is technically feasible.