Laws and Policy

NEW DELHI

• The Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) has directed Group Housing Societies/Institutions/Schools/Hotels/Industrial establishments/Farm Houses in South and South West Districts and group housing societies located outside notified areas of NCT of Delhi where ground water levels are more than 8 meters below the ground surface to adopt Roof Top Rain Water Harvesting systems in their premises.
   
• Ministry of Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation, Govt. of India has made modifications to the building bye laws that requires Water Harvesting through storing of water runoff including rain water in all new buildings on plots of 100 sq. meters and above will be mandatory.
   
• Building plans are not sanctioned unless such provision is provided. DDA/MCD representatives undertake a site inspection before issue of Completion Certificate to the building and ensure that the RWH is made as per plan.
   
• Buildings with plots of 200 sq. meters or above that extract ground water through tube wells, bore wells, etc need to implement Rain water harvesting.
   
• Financial assistance is given to a maximum of 50% of total cost of the Rain Water Harvesting structure or Rs. 1,00,000 whichever is less. Contact RWH Cell for more info.

TAMIL NADU
The Government of Tamil Nadu has made rainwater harvesting mandatory for all the buildings, both public and private, in the state. It made it mandatory for Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, all MCs, Municipalities, etc to sanction building plans only after implementation of RWH. Water and sewer connection would not be given to new buildings without RWH. RWH has been made mandatory in three storied buildings irrespective of the size of rooftop area. For more info, visit Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board.

BANGALORE
Every owner or occupier of a building with site area 2400 sq. feet or above or every owner who proposes to construct a building with site area more than 1200 sq. feet shall provide rain water harvesting structures in such a manner as provided in the regulations. For more information, visit Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board

MUMBAI
The State Government has made rainwater harvesting mandatory for all buildings that are being constructed on plots that are more than 1,000 sq m in size. For more information, visit Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai.

SURAT
Surat Municipal Corporation has made Rain water harvesting mandatory for new buildings with plot size of 4000 sq. meters or more. 50 % subsidy maximum amount up to Rs. 2000/- is given to the citizens to encourage the noble cause of rainwater recharging.

KANPUR (UTTAR PRADESH)
Rainwater harvesting has been made mandatory in all new buildings with an area of 500 sq meters or more.

NAGPUR
As per the regulation, all layouts of open spaces, amenity spaces of housing societies and new constructions of area equal to or more than 300 sq. m. shall have one or more rainwater harvesting structures such as an open well or bore well, or underground storage tank or percolation pits.

In the case of noncompliance with the aforementioned rules, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation would levy a fine of up to Rs.1000 per annum per 100 sq. m. of built-up area.

INDORE (MADHYA PRADESH)

• Rainwater harvesting has been made mandatory in all new buildings with an area of 250 sq m or more. Under Madhya Pradesh Bhumi Vikas Rules, 1984, Rooftop Rainwater Harvesting has been enforced in Municipalities for buildings more than 250 sq.m. RWH has been made mandatory for G + 3 structures.
   
• A rebate of 6 per cent on property tax has been offered as an incentive for implementing rainwater harvesting systems.
   

HYDERABAD (ANDHRA PRADESH)
Rainwater harvesting has been made mandatory in all new buildings with an area of 300 sq m or more irrespective of the roof area. It has been made mandatory to provide RWH in all Group Housing and Commercial Complexes. For more information, visit Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board.

KERALA
Government of Kerala included rainwater harvesting structures in new constructions.  Exemption from this is granted for cases where water logging is common or in areas with impermeable subsoil conditions to considerable depths.

RAJASTHAN
The State Government has made rainwater harvesting mandatory for all public
establishments and all properties in plots covering more than 500 sq m in urban areas. If completion certificate for RWH is not submitted to PHED, water supply connection can be terminated.

GUJARAT
Under the Gujarat Development Control Regulations, buildings with area between 500 and 1500 sq. meters, the owner or developer shall have to undertake Rainwater Harvesting as per the Authority Specifications. For buildings with area between 1500 to 4000 sq meters, owner/developer has to provide percolation wells with rain water harvesting system at one percolating well for every 4000 sq. meters or part thereof of building unit. The state Roads and Buildings Department has made rainwater harvesting mandatory for all government buildings.

HARYANA
Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) has made rainwater harvesting mandatory in all new buildings irrespective of roof area. The CGWA has also banned drilling of tubewells in notified areas.

CHANDIGARH
Chandigarh has made it mandatory for all new buildings to implement Rain water harvesting irrespective of size of plot or roof.

HIMACHAL PRADESH
Installation of rainwater harvesting system has been made mandatory for all buildings to be constructed in urban areas of the state and no building plan without rainwater harvesting system can be approved. Construction of rainwater harvesting system has also been made mandatory for all schools, govt. buildings and rest houses, upcoming industries& bus stands.

DAMAN & DIU
Administration of Daman & Diu has issued instructions to the local PWD for construction of roof top rainwater harvesting structures and accordingly, PWD has initiated action.

GOA
PWD has been asked to take up rainwater harvesting structure for Government buildings. The PWD is studying various designs of roof top rain water harvesting for taking up other existing large Government buildings and for any new coming Government buildings under construction.

LAKSJHADWEEP
Lakshadweep Administration has already taken up construction of   rainwater harvesting structures in different islands.

MEGHALAYA
The State Government of Meghalaya has instructed the concerned Department to provide funds under their respective annual plans for construction of roof top rainwater harvesting structures in the Govt. buildings.

NAGALAND
The State Government has made provision for roof top rainwater compulsory for all new Government buildings.

PONDICHERRY
Approvals are issued to new constructions subject to the provision of rainwater harvesting in building designs. PWD has started constructing roof top rainwater harvesting structures in the Government buildings since 2002. 

WEST BENGAL
West Bengal Municipal (Building) Rules, 2007, installation of rainwater harvesting system has been made mandatory.

ARUNACHAL PRADESH
Building By-laws are being framed keeping provision for rain water harvesting as mandatory in Government Buildings.

ANDAMAN & NICOBAR
Building Byelaws are being amended to incorporate mandatory provision of rainwater harvesting. 

ORISSA
Formulation of a comprehensive Water Law is under active consideration by the competent authorities. 

RAJKOT
The Rajkot Municipal Corporation amended the byelaws of general development control regulations through the regulation No.17.18 to make it mandatory to undertake rainwater harvesting in buildings having built up area of 80 sq m or more. However, in case of existing buildings more than 1000 sq. meters of built-up area a moratorium of five years shall be given within which the above requirements of the Development Regulations shall be complied with.

GWALIOR
By order dated 27th January 2006 rainwater harvesting has been made mandatory for buildings having an area more than 250 sq m. The engineer in charge of the area has been authorized to impose a penalty of Rs.7000 in case of non-compliance. A rebate of 6 % in property tax in the year in which the construction of rrainwater harvesting facility has been completed will be provided for the owner of the building as an incentive.

JABALPUR
Rainwater harvesting has been made mandatory in all new buildings with an area of 250 sq m or more from 1 April 2005. A rebate of 6 per cent on property tax has been offered as an incentive for implementing rainwater- harvesting systems in the building

RANCHI
The Ranchi Regional Development Authority has included rainwater harvesting in its byelaws.

MUSSOORIE
The Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority has made provision for installation of rainwater harvesting system in its building byelaws.