Calculate your DJB bill
Delhi Jal Board Bill Calculator
Priced at DJB's real domestic tariff
Estimated bill
₹20.00
≈ ₹10.00/month equivalent
✓ Within the free allowance — water charge waived
- Water charge
- ₹0.00
- Sewerage charge
- ₹0.00
- Fixed charge
- ₹20.00
Understanding the 20 KL free rule
This is not a true allowance where only your first 20 KL is free and the rest is billed normally. It's all-or-nothing: stay at or under 20 KL and your water charge is ₹0. Use even 1 litre more, and your entire consumption — including the first 20 KL — becomes billable at slab rates. This cliff-edge design is a common point of confusion, so budget accordingly if your usage is close to the threshold.
DJB domestic water tariff
| Slab (KL) | Rate (₹/KL) |
|---|---|
| 0–20 | ₹4.50 |
| 21–30 | ₹7.50 |
| 31–40 | ₹11.50 |
| 41–above | ₹16.50 |
| Sewerage charge | 60% of water charge |
| Fixed charge (15mm meter) | ₹20.00/cycle |
| Fixed charge (20mm meter) | ₹40.00/cycle |
| Fixed charge (25mm meter) | ₹100.00/cycle |
Effective from 1 January 2026 · Verified 31 August 2026 · source. UNVERIFIED — placeholder figures based on DJB's generally known domestic tariff structure (20 KL/month all-or-nothing free scheme, telescopic slabs above it, sewerage cess as a percentage of the water charge); pending cross-check against DJB's current official tariff notification before being treated as billing-grade
Two worked examples — just under vs just over the threshold
20 KL — at the free threshold
₹20.00
Water charge waived · only the fixed charge applies
21 KL — just 1 KL over
₹176.00
Full consumption billed · ₹97.50 water + ₹58.50 sewerage
A single extra litre pushes the bill from ₹20.00 to ₹176.00 — the all-or-nothing rule in action.
Sewerage & fixed charges explained
Sewerage charge. A wastewater treatment and disposal fee, billed as 60% of your water (volumetric) charge — it scales with usage the same way the water charge does, and is waived alongside it if your water charge is ₹0.
Fixed charge. A flat amount per billing cycle based on your connection's meter size, charged regardless of usage — it covers the cost of maintaining your connection and meter infrastructure.
Piped water vs tanker/jar delivery
Piped municipal supply is almost always dramatically cheaper per litre than tanker or 20L jar delivery, when it's reliably available. As a rough sense of scale: a private water tanker (typically 5,000-10,000 litres) commonly costs somewhere in the ₹500-1,500 range in many Indian cities, and a 20L branded jar commonly runs ₹40-80 — both figures vary a lot by city and season, so check local rates for an exact comparison. Either way, that works out to many times more per litre than metered piped water, even after sewerage and fixed charges.
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Frequently asked questions
How is my DJB water bill calculated?
Your KL (kilolitre) consumption is priced through Delhi Jal Board's slab rates, plus a sewerage charge (60% of the water charge) and a fixed charge based on your connection's meter size.
What happens if I use even 1 litre more than 20,000 litres?
DJB's free allowance is all-or-nothing, not a true exemption: stay at or under 20 KL and your water charge is ₹0. Cross it by even 1 litre and your ENTIRE consumption — not just the amount above 20 KL — becomes billable at slab rates. See the two worked examples below for exactly how large that jump is.
What is the sewerage charge on my water bill?
It's a charge for wastewater treatment and disposal, billed as a percentage of your water (volumetric) charge — currently 60% for DJB. If your water charge is waived, the sewerage charge is too, since it's calculated off that base.
Does my meter size affect my fixed charge?
Yes — DJB charges a different flat fixed charge depending on your connection's meter size (15mm, 20mm, 25mm), regardless of how much water you use.
Is DJB's free water scheme different from other cities?
Yes — not every Indian city offers a free consumption threshold, and among those that do, the "all-or-nothing" cliff-edge design (as opposed to a true allowance that only exempts the first block) isn't universal. Always check your own board's specific rules rather than assuming another city's scheme applies.
How can I reduce my water bill?
The single biggest lever here is staying at or under the 20 KL free threshold if you're close to it — crossing it costs far more than the extra litres alone would suggest, because the whole bill becomes payable. Beyond that: fix dripping taps and running cisterns promptly, and consider low-flow fixtures.
Is piped water cheaper than tanker or jar delivery?
Almost always yes, by a wide margin, when piped supply is reliable — tanker and jar water carry a large delivery/packaging premium per litre. See the comparison below for typical ranges; tanker and jar prices vary a lot by city, so check local rates for an exact comparison.
What is a KL and how do I read my meter?
A kilolitre (KL) = 1,000 litres, the standard billing unit for metered water supply in India. Most water meters display a running total in KL or cubic metres (the same unit) on a small odometer-style or digital display — subtract your previous reading from your current one to find your period's consumption.
How do I check or pay my DJB bill online?
Delhi Jal Board provides an online customer portal for checking consumption history, viewing bills and paying online — check their official website for the current portal link, since these occasionally change.
How often is this tariff data verified?
We date every tariff figure with an effective-from and last-verified date (shown below) and cite the source. UNVERIFIED — placeholder figures based on DJB's generally known domestic tariff structure (20 KL/month all-or-nothing free scheme, telescopic slabs above it, sewerage cess as a percentage of the water charge); pending cross-check against DJB's current official tariff notification before being treated as billing-grade