The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) will serve notices on 49,431 properties that are paying penalties every month for not installing rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems, along with their water bills in June. 

This is part of a campaign for RWH that the BWSSB is taking up in the city this monsoon to beat the next summer. “This year, it is predicted we will have a deficit monsoon, which means we will likely have a water crisis next summer like we did in 2024. We want to harvest the rain as much as possible this year, which will also recharge the groundwater level. This will cushion us next summer,” said V. Ram Prasath Manohar, chairman, BWSSB. 

“The notice will give them 15 days to install RWH systems, failing which we are ready to install the systems at our own cost. For a house with a built-up area of 2,400 sq. ft., it costs around ₹8,000 to ₹10,000. The BWSSB will bear this cost upfront, install the RWH system, and collect the money in equal installments in lieu of the fine these properties are paying for not installing RWH,” he explained. 

All new buildings built after 2016 on plots of 30X40 feet and above have to install RWH systems and failure to comply attracts a monthly penalty of 50% to 100% of the water bill. The BWSSB presently collects a penalty of an average of ₹4.56 crore a month just for not installing RWH system. 

“First, we will take up an aggressive campaign to install RWH systems in these 50,000 properties which are paying a penalty every month. In the next phase, we will target the other 7 lakh properties which also should have RWH, but are not being penalised as they are older buildings,” Dr. Manohar said.