In a first, the Delhi Government is considering making water bill a mandatory document for property registration.
The move, being evaluated by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), is aimed at expanding the reach of the water and sewer network while also addressing revenue leakage due to unregistered and illegal water connections.
“We are considering a proposal to make water bills mandatory while registering a property. A communication has already been sent to the sub-registrar office for their input,” according to sources in DJB. Delhi currently has around 29 lakh registered water connections, a figure significantly lower than the actual number of households.
The residents in many areas, particularly unauthorised colonies, continue to use water services without formal connections despite the presence of infrastructure.
This not only impacts the DJB’s finances but also leads to poor wastewater management. The officials said that just as electricity bills are often used as proof during property registration, water bills can be incorporated into the process.
“This will help ensure that water dues are settled and connections are regularised at the time of property sale or purchase,” they said.
The proposal also aims to address long-standing issues with Delhi’s sewerage infrastructure.
Currently, only around 1,200 out of 1,800 unauthorized colonies in Delhi have access to sewer lines.
Earlier this month, Water Minister Parvesh Verma had announced plans to connect all such colonies to the sewer network by 2027, including the installation of 40 decentralized sewage treatment plants (STPs).
“There is a direct connection between proper property documentation and improved infrastructure. If owners are required to show water bill records, it will encourage more households to take formal connections, improving overall network usage and reducing untreated waste entering the Yamuna,” said another DJB official.
Additionally, the proposal is seen as a step towards solving frequent disputes during property transactions caused by pending water dues.
“Requiring a water bill during registration would bring transparency and prevent complications later,” the official noted.
Currently, the DJB reports nearly 50 to 52 per cent non-revenue water (NRW), which means more than half of the treated water does not generate revenue — either due to leakages, theft or unbilled usage.
The officials believe that formalising water usage through the registration process could significantly help in reducing this figure.
If approved, the proposal would represent a major policy shift aimed at strengthening Delhi’s water infrastructure and securing the DJB’s financial stability.
