Hyderabad, March 15 -- The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) is launching a comprehensive initiative to combat water misuse and wastage in the city.

As part of this effort, the board plans to amend the 35-year-old Water Board Act to significantly increase fines for violations, with penalties expected to rise by five to ten times.

Currently, fines range from Rs 20 to Rs 1,000, with an additional daily penalty of Rs 100 for non-compliance.

The revised fines aim to address issues such as illegal water connections, misuse of treated water, damage to pipelines, and unauthorized activities like using motors to extract water or tampering with sewer lines.

The board spends Rs 48 per kiloliter to purify and supply...