1 Groundwater Management in NCT Delhi

National Capital Territory of Delhi occupies an area of 1483 sq.km. with the population density of 9344 persons/sq.km. The projected population for year 2009 works out to be 176 lakhs and total water requirement for drinking and domestic purposes, 927 million gallons per day (MGD). The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) supplies 815 MGD (including around 100 MGD from groundwater). The deficit in drinking water supply works out to be 112 MGD. This deficit in drinking water supply of Delhi can be partially augmented through exploitation of groundwater resources. The groundwater availability in Delhi area is controlled by the hydrogeological conditions characterized by different geological formations. The major aquifers contributing to the groundwater are fine to medium sand of Older alluvium, medium to coarse sand of Newer alluvium along the Yamuna Flood Plain and the hard rock formations occupied by quartzite, inter-bedded with mica schist belonging to Delhi Super Group. The depth to water in the Delhi state varies greatly from 1.2 meter (in the Yamuna flood plain) to more than 64 meters (in the southern part of the Delhi Ridge) below ground level. The groundwater is declining in majority of the areas of Delhi on account of overexploitation of the resources. The rate of decline is as high as 1.7 to 2 meters/year in some areas (South & South west Dist.). Thus seven ou