Water harvesting units a must for properties in over 100 sq metres area

In a major move to shore up the city’s water table that’s falling alarmingly, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) on Thursday made it mandatory for all the properties with an area of 100 sq metres and above to have functional rainwater harvesting systems, with strong penal provisions for defaulters. DJB, which amended the water and sewer (tariff and metering) regulations 2012 to include this provision, also made waste water recycling mandatory for bulk users in new properties. While properties built after the cut-off date of July 28, 2001, will need to install water-harvesting system by March 31, 2020, older houses will be given one year from the date of the public notice to comply. Defaulters will have to pay 1.5 times their water bill amounts.