Rainwater harvesting Delhi 75 CM Shri Schools: Delhi moves to revive systems and add nearly 50 crore litres

The Delhi government will revive rainwater harvesting Delhi 75 CM Shri Schools after a comprehensive audit showed many systems were non-functional, blocked or poorly maintained. The plan is expected to create an annual harvesting capacity of nearly 50 crore litres and improve groundwater recharge.

Rainwater harvesting Delhi 75 CM Shri Schools: What the audit found

Technical teams inspected all 75 schools and submitted reports to the government, officials said. Inspectors found harvesting pits filled with plastic waste, silt, debris and garbage, and rainwater in many places flowing straight into drains.

Several schools had structures they were unaware of, while others showed design deficiencies that prevented effective collection. Many filter units and recharge channels were clogged or worn out, making the systems non-functional for years.

Rainwater harvesting Delhi 75 CM Shri Schools: The Delhi plan and model

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the government will adopt the Ehsaas model approved by the Delhi Jal Board in 2021 . The Ehsaas system is low cost, needs minimal space and requires near-zero maintenance, officials said.

Under the plan, rooftop rainwater will be filtered, stored and connected to borewells for groundwater recharge. The Delhi Jal Board will carry out measures such as connecting rainwater pipes to proper channels, desilting harvesting pits and replacing filter media.

Delhi receives an average annual rainfall of about 775 mm . A rooftop area of roughly 2,500 sq ft can conserve about 2,00,000 litres of rainwater a year — enough to meet the annual needs of a family of five. Harvested water can be used for drinking, gardening, cleaning, flushing and other purposes.

Implementation steps covered by authorities

Officials said audits are complete for all 75 CM Shri Schools and that DJB teams will begin corrective work based on inspection reports. Key required actions include desilting pits, replacing filter media, and re-routing drains to collection points.

The government also highlighted potential benefits such as recharging groundwater and reviving dry borewells on school premises. No budget, timeline or list of contractors has been released yet.

Immediate impact for students and schools

Schools may see repairs and basic awareness drives on water conservation as work begins. Functional systems could provide stored water for daily uses and act as live demonstrations of groundwater recharge for students.

Authorities say this revival is part of a wider effort to strengthen water conservation and community awareness across government schools.