HYDERABAD: Ahead of the summer season, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) will roll out a mobile application aimed at curbing misuse of drinking water and strengthening ground-level monitoring.
The app, titled Promote Awareness And Nurture Initiatives for saving water (PAANI), is scheduled for launch in the first week of March 2026.
The application will allow citizens to report instances of water wastage, including washing of vehicles using potable water, leaking pipelines, overflowing storage tanks and unauthorised use of supply connections. Residents can upload photographs through the app, which will be sent directly to Water Board officials for verification and follow-up action.
Each verified complaint will attract a penalty of up to `5,000 on the errant consumer’s account after inspection. From the collected fine, `200 will be paid to the complainant as an incentive. The action will be linked to the relevant Consumer Account Number, enabling swift processing without manual intervention.
Officials said the initiative was designed to involve the public in monitoring violations, as enforcement alone was insufficient to prevent wastage. By encouraging citizens to report misuse, the Board aims to build local accountability and reduce avoidable losses of treated drinking water.
The HMWSSB draws water from the Krishna and Godavari supply schemes, treats it to potable standards and distributes it across Hyderabad and surrounding areas, involving substantial operational costs. Officials said wastage of such water was unacceptable and warned that repeat violations would invite stricter action.
The app is part of the HMWSSB Basti Bata programme and the Summer Action Plan 2026, which focuses on addressing seasonal shortages, ensuring equitable distribution and preventing misuse of potable water.
In parallel, field staff have been instructed to carry out inspections of service connections, meters and pipelines to identify leaks or damage. Immediate repairs are to be coordinated to minimise water loss.
Citizens can report leaking pipelines, misuse of potable water for washing vehicles
The application will allow citizens to report instances of water wastage, including washing of vehicles using potable water, leaking pipelines, overflowing storage tanks and unauthorised use of supply connections. Residents can upload photographs through the app, which will be sent directly to Water Board officials for verification and follow-up action.