India, Jan. 9 -- If you have received a massive water bill after not getting one for months or even years, you are likely not alone. An internal assessment by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has found that nearly 60% of its consumers are not receiving physical water bills at their homes, exposing serious gaps in the utility's billing system and prompting the Delhi government to plan a complete overhaul.

Officials said the flawed billing mechanism has also blunted the impact of the government's water bill amnesty initiative, with many consumers unaware of their pending dues. Delhi currently has around 2.9 million registered water connections, a figure officials acknowledge is far lower than the actual number of households in the Capital.

Delhi...