When did the PAANI app launch?

HMWSSB formally launched PAANI and the Save Water Volunteer programme on 29 October 2026.

How do I become a Save Water Volunteer?

Register on the Water Board's website with a government-issued ID; after verification you can use the PAANI app. Use only official HMWSSB pages.

How much is the fine for water wastage?

Reported only. TOI reported ₹1,000–₹5,000; a February NIE preview reported up to ₹5,000. Prefer an official HMWSSB notice.

Is com.hmwssb_swc the PAANI app?

No. Do not use that package as PAANI — it is associated with board officers' tooling, not the public volunteer app.

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PAANI app: how to be a Save Water Volunteer in Hyderabad

Last checked: 31 Oct 2026

Launch and process from The Hindu, NIE, Deccan Chronicle and Telangana Today (29–30 Oct 2026). Fine amounts are reported and differ across outlets — not treated as an official published schedule here. No Play Store package link (see body).

In short

On 29 October 2026, HMWSSB formally launched the PAANI mobile app and urged residents to register as Save Water Volunteers, alongside the board's 20% household cut appeal (The Hindu, 29 Oct 2026; NIE, 30 Oct 2026; Deccan Chronicle, 29 Oct 2026). Volunteers register through the Water Board's website with a government-issued ID; after verification they can use the app (reported available on Google Play) to flag drinking-water wastage (The Hindu). Complaints go through SMS verification and field inspection; volunteer identity is kept confidential (The Hindu). Reported fine ranges differ by outlet (see below) — we do not treat any figure as a confirmed official tariff table.

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What launched on 29 Oct 2026

Hyderabad District In-charge Minister Ponnam Prabhakar launched PAANI at the water board office, with HMWSSB MD K. Ashok Reddy present (The Hindu; Deccan Chronicle; NIE). The board asked households to cut use by at least 20% and not to use drinking water to wash vehicles or floors; fix leaks; stop tank overflows; and maintain rainwater harvesting (The Hindu; NIE).

How to register (as reported)

Step	What sources say
1. Register as Save Water Volunteer	Through the HMWSSB website, submitting a government-issued / government-recognised ID (The Hindu; Telangana Today, 29 Oct 2026)
2. Wait for verification	Once details are verified, you are recognised as a volunteer (The Hindu)
3. Use the PAANI app	After verification, use the app to submit complaints; The Hindu says the app is available on the Google Play Store (The Hindu)
4. Complaint handling	SMS-based verification, then field inspection; volunteer identity kept confidential (The Hindu; NIE)
5. If misuse is confirmed	Notices and penalties in accordance with the rules (The Hindu)

Registration link: news outlets say register on the Water Board website (The Hindu; Telangana Today). We link only the board homepage — hyderabadwater.gov.in — because a specific volunteer-registration URL was not confirmed working from the board site in our check. Use only pages published by HMWSSB.

Play Store: we do not link any Android package here. In particular we never link `com.hmwssb_swc` — that package is associated with the board's officers' tooling, not the public PAANI volunteer app. Download PAANI only from a listing you can verify is published by HMWSSB after you are cleared as a volunteer.

What you can report (examples in coverage)

Outlets describe reporting drinking-water wastage and misuse such as washing vehicles with potable water, overflowing tanks/sumps, leaking pipelines and unauthorised connections, often with a photo (TOI, 30 Oct 2026; NIE Feb preview; The Hindu).

Fair use before you file

Talk to a neighbour first if a hose or overflow looks accidental — the board's stated aim includes awareness, not only fines (Deccan Chronicle).
Photograph only what is visible from a public place. Do not enter private property or post other people's home interiors in Soshyal rooms.
Do not share Aadhaar, bank, passbook or CAN numbers in chat rooms.

Fine amounts — reported only

HMWSSB's launch coverage in The Hindu says penalties will be imposed in accordance with the rules, without publishing a rupee table in that article (The Hindu). Reported figures elsewhere differ:

Reported amount	Outlet (label: reported)
Penalties ranging from ₹1,000 to ₹5,000; incentives for verified complaints	TOI, 30 Oct 2026 — reported
Penalty of up to ₹5,000, with ₹200 to the complainant from the fine (pre-launch plan)	NIE, 24 Feb 2026 — reported plan

Treat these as reported, not as a confirmed official schedule on this page. Prefer HMWSSB's own notice if one is published.

Recognition

The government will recognise volunteers who contribute significantly; outstanding volunteers may meet the Chief Minister, per the board (The Hindu; NIE).

Related on Soshyal

What you can do

Register only through HMWSSB's own website after reading the board's instructions.
Cut household use by about a fifth — see the 20% challenge guide.
Fix leaks and stop tank overflows before reporting others.
Join Hyderabad Water Watch for colony tips — never post Aadhaar, bank, passbook or CAN numbers.

FAQ

When did the PAANI app launch?: HMWSSB formally launched PAANI and the Save Water Volunteer programme on 29 October 2026 (The Hindu; NIE; Deccan Chronicle).
How do I become a Save Water Volunteer?: Register on the Water Board's website with a government-issued ID; after verification you can use the PAANI app (The Hindu). Use only official HMWSSB pages.
Will my name be shown if I complain?: The Hindu reports that the identity of volunteers lodging complaints is kept confidential.
How much is the fine for water wastage?: Reported only on this page. TOI (30 Oct 2026) reported ₹1,000–₹5,000; a February NIE preview reported up to ₹5,000. The Hindu launch story says penalties per the rules without a rupee table. Prefer an official HMWSSB notice.
Is com.hmwssb_swc the PAANI app?: No. Do not use that package as PAANI — it is associated with board officers' tooling, not the public volunteer app.

Sources

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