India, May 8 -- New Delhi

The Delhi government is preparing a policy to scale up the use of treated water for non-potable purposes, such as construction, firefighting and horticulture, amid mounting pressure over depleting groundwater reserves, officials aware of the matter said on Friday.

The Delhi Jal Board (DJB), which will formulate the policy, is seeking to reuse treated wastewater generated at sewage treatment plants (STPs) and reduce dependence on freshwater and groundwater resources.

DJB minister Parvesh Verma said, "We are assessing all purposes for which treated water can be used. Some Public Works Department (PWD) projects are already using treated water. We have also started using it at a park in east Delhi as a pilot. Some...