'Each drop must count': Delhi water minister targets big water users

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All major private commercial establishments, like hotels and malls, will be evaluated on the basis of the sewage they release, Delhi Water Minister Parvesh Verma said on Wednesday.

The Delhi Jal Board will calculate water usage by using sewage output data of these establishments.

"Every drop will now be accounted for. The more sewage you release, the more you will pay for water. The free ride for those making crores using public resources is over," the water minister said.

He added all hotels, banquet halls, shopping malls, private hospitals, and other large commercial establishments in the city will now be billed based on the amount of sewage they discharge, instead of traditional water metre readings.

"The government has no accurate data on the water consumption of many of these commercial entities. Many do not have legal water connections or functional metres, yet they continue to discharge massive volumes of sewage every day. This has led to significant loss of revenue for the government and unchecked exploitation of public water," Verma said.

According to the government, for years, several big commercial players in Delhi have been using water without declaring their consumption or paying the appropriate charges.

"Despite visible sewage discharge, there are no matching water bills, indicating either illegal sourcing or complete bypassing of official supply systems. This is not a tax. It is a question of responsibility. You cannot run massive profit-making operations on free public water and give nothing back. That will not be tolerated anymore," Verma added.

According to the plan, any establishment without a functional water metre or which is unable to prove the source of water, will be charged based on its sewage discharge.

Records will be cross-verified with sewage treatment data and commercial licensing information.