Lucknow’s new townships to get river-based water supply systems

As groundwater levels in several parts of Lucknow slip to about 200 feet and deeper, the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) has decided to build dedicated water treatment plants in its upcoming Naimish Nagar and Varun Vihar schemes, shifting new urban projects towards surface water supply.

According to official data from the ground water department (GWD), water in many city areas is now available only at depths of 180 to 200 feet, while some localities have reported even lower groundwater levels.

Prathamesh Kumar, LDA vice chairman, said the authority is reviving the practice of building dedicated treatment plants inside housing schemes after several years. He said the move aims to reduce dependence on groundwater, which is under growing pressure due to rapid urban expansion and increasing population.

Notably, a surface water-based supply system collects raw water from rivers, lakes or reservoirs and treats it through screening, sedimentation, filtration and chlorination before distribution.

The Varun Vihar scheme, spread over 2,270 hectares along the Agra Expressway, is expected to accommodate around eight lakh residents. Officials said the proposed water treatment plant here will come up on 17 acres and initially treat 110 million litres per day (MLD) of surface water.

The facility has been planned with future expansion in mind and can be scaled up to 130-140 million litres per day (MLD) based on population growth. Officials said the authority will source raw water, treat it for drinking purposes and reduce reliance on borewells.

LDA officials said the plant will operate on the lines of the Kathauta water treatment facility, which already supplies treated surface water to several city areas. The authority will obtain all mandatory no-objection certificates (NOCs) before beginning construction.

The Varun Vihar project itself will be developed in phases, with nearly 3,000 acres earmarked for Phase 1. Officials said water infrastructure will be developed alongside habitation to ensure supply keeps pace with occupancy.

Similarly, the Naimish Nagar scheme, spread across nearly 1,486 hectares, is projected to house around two lakh people. According to LDA officials, two treatment plants have been proposed in the project.

One of the plants will be constructed on 7,000 square metres and have a capacity of around 16 MLD. Officials said studies are still underway to finalise the area and capacity of the second proposed plant.

An LDA official said water for Varun Vihar is likely to be sourced from the Sharda Canal, subject to approval and an NOC from the irrigation department. For Naimish Nagar, the proposed source is the Gomti River, with talks underway with the irrigation department for approvals.

Officials said integrating such infrastructure at the planning stage will help ensure long-term water security and reduce pressure on groundwater reserves.