If your business draws water from a borewell or tubewell, you are extracting groundwater – and in most of India that needs permission. The Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA), working under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, issues a No Objection Certificate (NOC) that fixes how much groundwater you may take, from which structure, and under what conditions.
Running without it can lead to sealing of the borewell and an environmental compensation demand, so it is worth getting right.
Who needs a CGWA NOC
- Industries that use groundwater for processing, washing, cooling or as a raw material – including food and beverage units, packaged drinking water plants, textile, pharma and chemical units
- Infrastructure projects – hotels, hospitals, malls, commercial complexes, townships and large residential projects
- Mining projects – irrespective of quantity
- Bulk water suppliers and other commercial users
- Existing units too – not only new projects. An existing unit without NOC should apply at the earliest.
Who is exempt
The following are generally exempt from taking an NOC:
- Individual households using water for drinking and domestic purposes
- Agricultural use
- Rural drinking water schemes and armed forces establishments
- Industries, infrastructure and mining projects using groundwater only for drinking/domestic use up to 5 KLD (5,000 litres a day)
- Micro and small enterprises drawing less than 10 KLD
- Residential societies drawing up to 20 KLD for drinking/domestic use
Important: being exempt does not mean doing nothing. Exempted industries still have to apply online and obtain an Exemption Certificate, and must install a digital water flow meter on the borewell.
Over-exploited areas: the biggest risk
CGWA classifies every block as Safe, Semi-Critical, Critical or Over-Exploited based on how much groundwater is being used.
- In Over-Exploited blocks, NOC is generally not given to new industries, except MSMEs.
- New packaged drinking water units are not allowed in Over-Exploited blocks even if they are MSMEs.
- Water for workers' drinking needs and green belt may still be allowed.
- Projects drawing more than 100 KLD in Over-Exploited, Critical or Semi-Critical areas need an impact assessment report.
Always check the block category before buying or leasing land for a water-intensive project. This single check can save lakhs of rupees.
Documents usually required
- Site plan / location map with borewell coordinates
- Land ownership or lease documents
- Water requirement calculation and water balance chart
- Hydrogeological report (for larger quantities or stressed blocks)
- Details of rainwater harvesting / recharge structures
- Consent from the State Pollution Control Board (for industries)
- Proof of flow meter and, where required, piezometer and telemetry installation
The application process in brief
- Confirm the assessment-unit (block) category of your site
- Calculate actual water requirement – do not overestimate; abstraction charges are based on the quantity
- Prepare the hydrogeological and water-use documents
- Apply online on the CGWA portal and pay the processing fee
- Respond to queries / site inspection
- Receive NOC, pay groundwater abstraction charges, and comply with conditions (flow meter, recharge, annual reports)
Note: Some states and UTs have their own groundwater authority and regulate extraction themselves. In those states the application goes to the state authority, not CGWA. We will tell you which applies to your site.
After the NOC: ongoing compliance
- Keep the digital flow meter working and keep records of monthly abstraction
- Build and maintain the recharge structures promised in the application
- Submit compliance reports and water-quality reports on time
- Apply for renewal well before expiry, and apply afresh before increasing extraction
How ClearPath Compliance India can help
We check the groundwater category of your site, prepare the water balance and supporting reports, file the NOC or exemption application, handle queries and inspections, and keep a calendar of renewals and reporting dates.
This article is for general information. Groundwater rules and block categories are revised from time to time; please confirm the current position before applying.