Want To Drill A Borewell In Delhi? Rainwater Harvesting May Become Mandatory

With borewells drying up as groundwater is extracted faster than it is replenished, the Delhi government is examining a proposal to make rainwater harvesting mandatory for all new borewell permissions.

The proposal, announced by PWD and Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma, seeks to ensure that groundwater extraction is matched by groundwater recharge.

"The government is examining measures to make rainwater harvesting mandatory for all new borewell permissions, ensuring that groundwater extraction is matched by groundwater recharge," Mr Verma said.

The proposal has not yet been notified. The government has also not announced when it could take effect, which properties would be covered or what technical conditions applicants would have to meet.

How Would The Proposed Rule Work?

Applicants seeking permission for a new borewell may be required to demonstrate that rainwater falling on their property can be collected and used to recharge groundwater.

Rain falling on rooftops and paved surfaces can be channelled through filters into recharge pits, trenches or wells. Instead of flowing into drains, the water seeps underground and helps replenish groundwater reserves.

The idea, the government says, is to link permission to extract groundwater with a responsibility to recharge it.

Speaking after inspecting a restored rainwater harvesting system at Thyagraj Stadium, Mr Verma said rainwater harvesting could improve groundwater recharge and help ensure water availability throughout the year.

"Today, borewells are drying up because groundwater is being extracted faster than it is replenished," he said.

"Rainwater harvesting allows rainwater to recharge the groundwater table, ensuring water availability throughout the year," Mr Verma added.

Rainwater Harvesting Is Already Required In Delhi

Rainwater harvesting is not a new requirement in Delhi.

Delhi Jal Board guidelines make functional rainwater harvesting systems mandatory for properties measuring 100 square metres or more, subject to technical exemptions in areas where artificial groundwater recharge is not recommended.

Existing groundwater rules also require prior permission for extraction through borewells and link such approvals to provisions for rainwater harvesting and wastewater recycling.

The government has not clarified how the proposed condition for all new borewell permissions would alter, expand or strengthen the existing system.

Illegal Borewells Remain A Challenge

The proposed change comes as Delhi continues to deal with thousands of unauthorised borewells.

In a report submitted to the National Green Tribunal in May 2025, the Delhi government said the Delhi Jal Board had identified 20,297 illegal borewells across the city.

The report said district authorities had sealed 15,962 of them, while 4,033 borewells listed by the DJB could not be located during inspections.

Another 142 were yet to be sealed and 160 were covered by court stays, according to the submission.

Unauthorised borewells can be difficult to identify because many are located inside private properties and are not visible from outside.

At present, prior approval is required for groundwater extraction through a borewell. Applications are scrutinised by district-level committees involving officials from the Delhi Jal Board, the district administration, the Central Ground Water Board and other agencies.

Water Meters And Bills May Be Next

The rainwater harvesting proposal could form part of a wider overhaul of Delhi's borewell rules.

Officials familiar with a separate draft policy have said the government is considering making water meters mandatory for domestic and commercial borewells.

Under the proposed system, users could be charged according to the quantity of groundwater they extract.

The draft is also expected to provide a mechanism for regularising unauthorised borewells operating across the city.

The policy has not yet been finalised, and the government is yet to announce the proposed groundwater tariff.

If adopted, the broader changes could require borewell users to obtain permission, measure and pay for the water extracted, and make arrangements to recharge groundwater.

Delhi Extracts More Water Than It Recharges

The proposal comes against the backdrop of severe groundwater stress across the national capital.

In 2024, Delhi recorded an annual groundwater recharge of 34,190.5 hectare-metres, while extraction stood at 34,453.6 hectare-metres.

The city, in other words, extracted more groundwater than was replenished in previous years.

The groundwater extraction rate rose to 100.77 per cent in 2024, from 99.13 per cent in 2023.

Of Delhi's 34 groundwater assessment units, or tehsils, 14 have been earlier classified as "over-exploited", 13 as "critical" and two as "semi-critical". Only five remain in the "safe" category.

New Delhi district had recorded the highest level of groundwater extraction. High extraction levels have also been earlier reported in Shahdara, North Delhi, South Delhi and North-East Delhi.

Government Buildings Get Rainwater Push

Mr Verma said the Delhi government had adopted a mission-mode approach to expand rainwater conservation across government institutions.

The government has taken up the restoration of 1,000 existing rainwater harvesting systems and the construction of 500 new structures across government offices, schools, hospitals, stadiums and other public institutions.

Around 400 existing systems have been restored, while work is underway on more than 400 others, the government said.

Nearly 100 new rainwater harvesting structures have been completed and more than 250 are under construction.

The Delhi Jal Board has separately taken up the restoration of 611 existing systems. Of these, 330 have been completed and work is underway at 120 sites. The remaining locations are being taken up in phases.

Teams from the Delhi Jal Board and the Public Works Department are jointly inspecting government premises to restore systems that are no longer functional and identify locations where new structures are required.

"Every restored rainwater harvesting system and every new structure strengthens Delhi's water security. This is not just an infrastructure project, it is an investment in the future of our city and the generations to come," Mr Verma said.

For future borewell applicants, the proposed change could create a two-part requirement: permission to take water from beneath Delhi and proof of how it will be put back.

Source: NDTV Trending