Delhi may require rainwater harvesting for all new borewell permits

The Delhi government is considering a proposal to make rainwater harvesting compulsory for all new borewell permissions, as groundwater levels continue to decline. The plan, announced by Public Works Department and Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma, aims to link groundwater extraction with 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 specified 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 need 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."

Rainwater harvesting is already required in Delhi

Rainwater harvesting is not a new requirement in Delhi. Delhi Jal Board guidelines already 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.

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 further details.