Shimla’s Summer Relief: Sutlej Water Scheme to Double Supply
Shimla residents and the thousands of tourists who flock to the hill city each summer can look forward to a major relief—no more water rationing. Starting April, the city’s water supply will nearly double, thanks to the long-awaited Sutlej water scheme.
Rajesh Kashyap, General Manager of Shimla Jal Prabandhan Nigam Limited, confirmed that water from the Sutlej has already reached the Sanjauli tank and testing has been completed. A dry run is scheduled in the coming days, with the official inauguration set for next month.
Currently, Shimla receives about 40–42 million litres of water per day from five schemes. With the new project, supply will jump to 80–82 MLD, with future capacity to reach 67 MLD over the next 15 years. Funded by the World Bank at an estimated cost of ₹500 crore, the project is being hailed as the biggest water supply initiative in Himachal Pradesh.
To tackle challenges like high turbidity in the Sutlej, the scheme includes advanced treatment facilities—jackwell intake, pre-settling tanks, clarifloculators, rapid sand filters, and chlorination, which will be upgraded to ozonation within six months. A state-of-the-art water testing lab has also been set up at Shikrodi.
“This is the first time ozone technology will be used for water treatment in Himachal. The scheme will run through supervisory control and data acquisition systems, ensuring efficiency and safety,” Kashyap said, calling it a landmark project for the state.
