BWSSB fines apartments over illegal UGD connection

In a major crackdown, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has identified 383 apartment complexes and 43,000 individual houses in Bengaluru for illegally connecting to the underground drainage (UGD) system. The board has issued notices and imposed a massive penalty of ₹200 crore on the violators.

BWSSB Chairman Ram Prasath Manohar said the violations came to light during a citywide inspection of water and sewerage systems. “A dedicated team was formed to investigate UGD misuse. The report revealed widespread unauthorized connections, especially in high-rise apartment buildings, which discharge large volumes of wastewater and place significant pressure on city infrastructure,” he stated. The Investigation, conducted over two months, led to the identification of illegal drainage lines across major residential zones. Action has already been initiated, and disconnection drives have been ongoing for the past two weeks.

“While the focus is on apartment complexes due to their larger environmental impact, 43,000 houses have also been served notices. We are collecting penalties and giving them a chance to regularise their connections. If they fail to comply, we will be forced to disconnect water supply,” Manohar warned. The BWSSB aims to prevent further misuse of public drainage facilities and ensure fair usage charges. Residents have been urged to respond promptly to notices to avoid service disruption. This marks one of the largest enforcement actions in recent years against unauthorised UGD connections in Bengaluru.