Delhi's Water Woes: Auditor's Report Highlights Serious Setbacks for Jal Board

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report paints a grim picture of Delhi Jal Board's (DJB) financial and operational inefficiencies, citing a massive revenue loss of Rs 4,988 crore due to Non-Revenue Water (NRW) over five years.

The CAG's audit criticized DJB’s failure to adhere to Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) norms in water quality testing, exacerbated by insufficient staff and equipment. Additionally, the report highlighted issues with water treatment plants using banned Polyelectrolytes and a failure to meet the city's growing demand for raw water.

With transmission losses and inequitable water distribution plaguing the system, the report calls attention to irregularity in project execution and unaccounted funds, leaving questions about DJB's capability to manage the capital's water supply efficiently.