In the midst of an ongoing water crisis in the Karnataka capital, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), a governmental agency, has come down hard on violators in the city over wastage and fined as many as 407 people, thus collecting more than ₹20 lakh.
The BWSSB has banned the use of drinking water for various purposes, including washing of cars, gardening, construction and maintenance. (HT Image/For Representation only)
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Officials from the BWSSB have been nabbing residents who have been using potable water for purposes such as washing vehicles and gardening, The Times of India reported. “We have fined 407 persons till April 9 and collected ₹20.3 lakh from the violators so far,” A BWSSB officer told the publication.
Several residents have been alerting the board of misuse of drinking water, and this is how officials have been able to nab as many violators in the last month.
“The BWSSB doesn't collect fines just because it sees someone cleaning vehicles. We cross-check with them by asking about the source of the water. If they fail to prove it is treated water, we collect a fine from them,” A highly placed BWSSB official said, as quoted by the publication.
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“The BWSSB doesn't collect fines just because it sees someone cleaning vehicles. We cross-check with them by asking about the source of the water. If they fail to prove it is treated water, we collect a fine from them,” A highly placed BWSSB official said, as quoted by the publication.
Of the 407 instances, 90 per cent were violations relating to usage of potable water for cleaning vehicles, and the remaining 10 per cent were related to gardening. The agency warned the violators that a repeat would cost them an additional ₹500 along with the original ₹5,000 fine.
The BWSSB has banned the use of drinking water in swimming pools and other various purposes, including washing of cars, gardening, construction and maintenance.
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.
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Home/Cities/Bengaluru News/Bengaluru water board fines 407 people over wastage, collects ₹20.3 lakh: Report
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