The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) is overhauling its water-billing system to address long-standing complaints about inaccurate and inflated bills. This initiative will integrate geotagging and unique customer IDs to ensure every property in the capital is correctly mapped. Water Minister Parvesh Verma chaired a board meeting that formally approved these reforms, which aim to build public trust and improve revenue collection efficiency.
How will the new water billing system work?
The core of this overhaul involves assigning a Unique Customer Premise Identification number to every property. A city-wide door-to-door e-KYC and digital database update drive will cover approximately 35 lakh consumers. The new system uses smart meter readings with photo capture and GPS tagging to verify the data at the ground level. Additionally, proof of bill delivery must be submitted to the database to ensure residents actually receive their bills on time.
- Geotagging: Every consumer property will be linked to its physical location.
- Smart Meters: Photo-based readings with GPS timestamps will reduce manual errors.
- e-KYC Drive: A massive effort to update records of 3.5 million water connections.
- Database Accuracy: Duplicate and incorrect entries will be removed within six months.
New payment rules and surcharge waiver details
The government has also extended the Late Payment Surcharge Waiver Scheme to help consumers clear their pending dues. The Late Payment Surcharge has been reduced from 5% to 2% following an amendment to the Delhi Water Board Act. This move is expected to benefit residents who have been struggling with accumulated arrears due to billing disputes or financial delays.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| LPSC Waiver Deadline | August 15, 2026 |
| Overhaul Project Cost | ₹60 crore |
| Waiver Amount | 100% on late fees till deadline |
| Pending Dues Recovery | Target of ₹5,000 crore |
Consumers who settle their principal water dues by August 15, 2026, will receive a full waiver on late payment charges. After this date, the waiver will be reduced to 70 percent. Officials stated that non-payment after the deadline could lead to disconnection of the water supply. Currently, only about 40 percent of registered consumers receive accurate bills, and this overhaul aims to fix that gap permanently.
