Delhi still lacks sewer connections for over 1.6 million households
More than 1.65 million homes in Delhi remain without a link to the city’s sewage network, underscoring a major infrastructure shortfall as the government pushes its Yamuna clean-up.
According to a Delhi Jal Board study, more than 1.65 million households in the capital are not connected to the municipal sewage system, a gap that is most pronounced in unauthorised colonies and slum areas where waste often relies on septic tanks or open drains. The board’s target is universal connection by 2028; currently about 2.35 million homes are served. Sewer work has been completed in 1,317 of Delhi’s 1,799 unplanned settlements, with additional efforts in roughly 100 more, though progress is slowed by the need for approvals from other agencies and restrictions in the Yamuna’s O-Zone and forest zones.
The city operates 37 treatment plants with a combined capacity of 3,702 MLD, yet only 3,387 MLD is being used and several plants fail to meet pollution standards, allowing untreated waste to enter the river. To bridge the gap, the government has launched projects worth billions of rupees, including 28 decentralised treatment plants and upgrades to existing facilities, while also deploying private vendors to collect septage from homes lacking sewer lines.
Why it matters
Unconnected households contribute untreated waste to the Yamuna, affecting public health and the city’s environmental cleanup goals.
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