Chandigarh, July 21:- Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said that water conservation is the need of the hour. He emphasized that if treated water is used scientifically and in a planned manner, it will not only reduce pressure on groundwater and drinking water sources but also ensure the long-term availability of water for industries, the power sector, green spaces, and agriculture.
The Chief Minister was chairing a high-level meeting late Monday evening to review the Reuse of Treated Wastewater (TWW) Policy for Haryana. Public Health Engineering Minister Ranbir Gangwa was also present.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister directed officials to ensure that all Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) and Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) in the state produce treated water that meets prescribed standards and that its maximum possible reuse is ensured. He stressed that treated water should not go to waste under any circumstances. He instructed officials to develop a robust and efficient network to supply treated water to thermal power plants, green belts, agricultural fields, and other areas where it is required.
Officials from the Public Health Engineering Department informed the Chief Minister that the Irrigation and Water Resources Department has prepared a phased plan for the reuse of treated wastewater. In the first phase, a ?500 crore project covering 35 STPs across 21 districts has been approved under NABARD. Of these, 27 STPs have been finalized for reuse of treated wastewater through micro-irrigation. Work on 19 STPs has been completed, while work on the remaining eight is in progress. The project is expected to provide irrigation water to nearly 40,000 acres of farmland.
Officials further informed that 57 STPs have been included in the second phase, including 13 STPs with a combined capacity of 157.50 MLD and 44 STPs with a combined capacity of 370.75 MLD. Haryana currently has 207 STPs/CETPs, and the remaining plants will also be integrated into the programme in a phased manner.
The department has planned to complete the first-phase projects on schedule, develop the viable STPs under the second phase, and gradually include all remaining STPs. Under the state's Vision@2047, the target is to achieve 100 percent reuse of treated wastewater by March 2031.

Detailed mapping of STPs and CETPs
The Chief Minister directed that all STPs and CETPs in the state should be comprehensively mapped. The mapping should include each plant’s capacity, the quantity of treated water produced, its potential applications, and the infrastructure required to transport it to nearby areas. He said proper planning and coordination would enable large-scale utilization of treated water while reducing dependence on groundwater and potable water sources.
He instructed that thermal power plants should receive top priority in the use of treated water, followed by green belts, parks, plantations, and agriculture. A separate strategy should also be prepared for industrial areas to increase the use of treated water in place of freshwater.
The Chief Minister asked officials to streamline the entire system, emphasizing that the initiative should not remain confined to a single department. He directed the Public Health Engineering Department, Irrigation Department, Urban Local Bodies Department, Industries Department, Energy Department, and Haryana State Pollution Control Board to jointly prepare an action plan. Senior officials of these departments were instructed to hold regular review meetings and closely monitor implementation.

Inspection of STPs in residential colonies
The Chief Minister directed that STPs installed in residential societies and colonies across the state should also be inspected. Joint inspections will be carried out by the Haryana State Pollution Control Board along with officials of Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils, and Municipal Committees.
He said it must be ensured that treated water generated by private colony STPs is used for green belts, parks, and plantation within the colonies. Where such use is not feasible, suitable pipeline or distribution networks should be created to supply the treated water to agricultural fields or other areas requiring it. Haryana has around 678 residential colonies, and this system will be reviewed in phases.

Cluster-based treated water supply
The Chief Minister directed the Irrigation Department to develop a cluster-based distribution system for treated water. Where multiple STPs exist, they should be interconnected to create an efficient distribution network so that the benefits of treated water reach the maximum possible area.

Solar systems under PM-KUSUM Scheme
The meeting also reviewed the electricity costs involved in operating STPs. The Chief Minister directed that as many STPs as possible should be equipped with solar power systems under the PM-KUSUM Scheme to reduce energy costs and ensure uninterrupted operation. He also instructed that all STPs should function round the clock and that maintenance agencies must ensure there is no negligence in plant operations.

Detailed booklet for every treatment plant
The Chief Minister directed officials to prepare a comprehensive booklet covering all STPs and CETPs in the state. The booklet will include each plant’s address, location, treatment capacity, daily treated water output, availability of treated water, contact details of concerned officials, and the existing as well as proposed arrangements for water reuse. This will facilitate future planning and monitoring.

No STP should remain non-functional
The Chief Minister said no STP in the state should remain non-operational. If any plant faces issues related to electricity, maintenance, technical faults, or any other reason, the concerned department should resolve them immediately. He added that electricity expenses and other operational arrangements would be reviewed regularly to ensure uninterrupted functioning of all STPs. Any negligence in this regard would invite strict action.

Treated water to be supplied to thermal power plants
The Chief Minister directed officials to connect nearby STPs through dedicated networks to thermal power plants so that treated water can be supplied on a regular basis. This will reduce the consumption of freshwater currently used by thermal power plants, allowing that water to be diverted for other essential purposes.
He also ordered detailed mapping of industrial areas to identify which industries can be supplied with treated water from nearby STPs or CETPs and what infrastructure would be required. He said industries should increasingly prioritize the use of treated water in the future.

Detailed reports sought within 15 days
The meeting decided that all concerned departments will submit detailed reports within 15 days to the Public Health Engineering Department, including treatment capacity, availability of treated water, current utilization, future demand, and distribution systems. Based on these reports, a comprehensive state-wide action plan will be prepared to maximize the reuse of treated wastewater.
The meeting was attended by Chief Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Rajesh Khullar, Additional Chief Secretary, Irrigation and Water Resources Anurag Agarwal, Principal Secretary, Public Health Engineering Pankaj Yadav, Commissioner and Secretary, Urban Local Bodies Ashok Meena, Chairman, Haryana State Pollution Control Board Vinay Pratap Singh, OSD to the Chief Minister Virender Badhkhalsa, Deputy Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Dr. Yashpal, Managing Director, Haryana Tourism Corporation Parth Gupta, Gurugram Municipal Commissioner Pradeep Dahiya, and Engineer-in-Chief Davinder Dahiya, among other senior officials.