Mumbai, Feb 27: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has cracked down on non-functional water meters, warning of severe financial penalties for prolonged non-compliance. Under the revised civic rules, any private water meter remaining classified as defective for more than six months will invite strict action.
Consumption will be estimated based on daily requirements or past usage—whichever is higher—and a 100% surcharge will be added, effectively doubling the water bill.
Revised rules come into effect
According to BMC data, around 4 lakh properties in Mumbai have water meter connections, including nearly 2.5 lakh in slum pockets. The civic body supplies approximately 4,000 million litres of water daily to the city.
Previously, if a private water meter remained faulty for more than six months, billing was done on an estimated basis, either the daily water requirement or the actual average consumption of the previous period, whichever was higher, with an additional 25% surcharge.
However, following a June 2025 circular amending the sub-rules governing water meters, the revised regulations have come into effect. Under the new rules, consumers with non-functional private water meters will have to pay higher charges.
Penalty structure clarified
“Under the revised rules, if a water meter is unreadable for over six months, a 25% surcharge will be applied to assessed consumption after notice. In slum areas, if a residential private meter remains faulty for more than 12 months, the average estimated bill will now attract a 100% surcharge (double the amount). If it is unreadable or buried for over 12 months, a 25% increase will apply to the estimated bill,” said an official.
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Civic appeal to consumers
The civic body has urged consumers to repair or replace faulty meters to avoid higher estimated charges.
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