Water bills may become mandatory for the registration of new properties in the Capital. With the move, the Delhi government is eyeing a revenue boost and aims to ensure that all households come under the new billing system, said officials. Another key aim behind the move is to improve the sewage infrastructure across the city, especially in unauthorised colonies where many households do not have proper sewer and water connections. “Due to a lack of sewer connections, untreated sewage enters the Yamuna, leading to pollution. It has also been observed that the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has been facing a revenue loss for several years as a large number of households in the city are getting water through illegal connections. This type of connection is usually done by puncturing or tapping the main pipeline, due to which leakage and revenue loss happen,” said a senior government official. Officials added that the government is taking several measures to crack down on illegal water connections, including a survey of households, smart metering, and introducing a new billing system. “As per 2011 data, there are 34 lakh households, and this number has almost doubled. But there are only around 29 lakh water connections — far fewer than required for a city like Delhi. These days, the independent floor system has become popular in the city. Under this, people construct up to four floors, and sell it floor-wise but separate households don’t take water connections or submit their bills. Similarly, sellers don’t share the water bills while selling their properties,” the official explained. A communication in this regard has also been sent to the Revenue Department. The registrar officers under the revenue departments handle the registration of properties in every district. Presently, stamp duty, sale deed, income certificate, identity proofs of both buyer and seller, electricity bill, and two witnesses are required for registration of property in the city. The government is also considering a revision of the water tariff, as a large number of consumers do not pay their bills, and the existing billing system has several shortcomings. The last water tariff revision took place in February 2018, and a decision on a possible update is under consideration. Officials said that the Non-Revenue Water (NRW) — produced and supplied from water treatment plants, but not reaching the customers — stands at around 50–52%, indicating high losses.
