Clean your water tanks on a fixed schedule, commonly every few months, and write down the date, the cleaner's name and attach a receipt each time. For tanker bills, pick one clear sharing rule at an AGM, such as equal per flat or by number of residents, and log every delivery. Clean tanks and clear numbers solve most water arguments.
Why does water cause so many fights in buildings?
In many parts of Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad the municipal supply is irregular, so buildings depend on tankers, a bore or both. That means money, and where there is money there are questions. Is the tank dirty? Why did we order four tankers this week? Why does the top floor never get pressure? A cleaning schedule and a tanker log answer most of these before they become a fight in the WhatsApp group.
How often should a water tank be cleaned?
There is no single rule that fits every building. It depends on the size of the tank, how many people use it, the quality of the incoming water and how clean the lid and the pipes are. As a practical guide:
- Many buildings clean both the underground and overhead tanks every few months, and some set a fixed calendar such as the start of each season.
- Clean earlier if the water looks cloudy, has a smell or taste, or if residents report stomach problems.
- Clean after any repair, leak or flood that could let dirt in.
Follow local health guidance and ask your cleaner what they recommend for your tank. Put the dates in the building calendar so cleaning does not depend on one person remembering.
What does a proper tank cleaning involve?
A trusted cleaning company usually drains the tank, scrubs the walls and floor, removes sludge, rinses, checks the lid, vents and inlet pipes and refills. What matters for the committee is that you can prove it was done:
- Take before and after photos of the inside of the tank.
- Get a signed job sheet with the date, the tank size and the work done.
- Keep the receipt and record who approved the payment.
- Note anything that needs repair, such as a cracked lid or a broken float valve.
- Tell residents the date and time in advance, since the water supply will be off for some hours.
What records should the committee keep?
Think of two simple logs: one for cleaning and one for tankers.
Cleaning log - Date, tank (underground or overhead), company, cost, receipt - Photos and the signed job sheet - Next due date
Tanker log - Date and time of delivery - Tanker size and supplier - Price paid and receipt - Who received it (guard or caretaker) and who approved the order
For why attaching proof to each entry builds trust, read about proof-based accounting for committees.
What are the fair ways to split tanker costs?
There are four common approaches. Pick one and apply it to everyone.
| Method | How it works | Good for | Watch out for | |---|---|---|---| | Equal per flat | Total bill divided by number of units | Buildings with similar flats and families | Small households pay for big ones | | Per resident | Divided by the number of people living in each unit | Mixed household sizes | Needs a resident count and updates | | By meter | Each unit has a water meter, charged by use | Newer buildings, shops and offices | Needs meters and reading each month | | By unit type | Flat, shop and office each have a fixed share | Mixed plazas | Needs a clear rule per category |
An example only: suppose a building of 20 flats uses 12 tankers in a month at Rs 4,500 each (made-up numbers). The bill is Rs 54,000. Equal sharing gives Rs 2,700 per flat. If instead you split by residents, a flat with 2 people and a flat with 8 people would pay very different amounts. Show both versions at the AGM and let owners decide.
What about shops, offices and tenants?
- A shop or office may use far less or far more than a flat. Set a separate rate for each type rather than treating them as flats.
- If a tenant is paying, the rent agreement should say whether water is included. See tenant vs owner maintenance rules.
- For empty flats, decide in advance whether they pay a reduced base amount. Write it down.
How do you stop tanker over-ordering and misuse?
Water bills grow quietly. A few habits help:
- Let one or two named people approve tanker orders, not every guard.
- Match each delivery to a receipt and a log entry.
- Check the overhead tank float valve and look for overflow. A broken valve wastes a lot of water.
- Check for leaks in common pipes and the underground tank.
- Compare tankers per month with last year to spot a sudden change.
- Ask the supplier for the same size each time, so the log is comparable.
How do you share the numbers with residents?
A short monthly note is enough: number of tankers, total cost, cost per unit under the agreed rule, and the date of the last and next tank cleaning. Post it in the building group and the notice board, and show a yearly summary at the AGM.
Quick checklist
- Do we have a fixed tank cleaning calendar?
- Is every cleaning backed by photos, a job sheet and a receipt?
- Is there a tanker log with date, size, price and receipt?
- Is the sharing rule written in the AGM minutes?
- Do shops and offices have a separate rate?
- Do residents see a monthly summary?
If you are unsure about your by-laws or a dispute over water charges grows, check your society's rules and ask a lawyer before taking a hard step.
Nearlify lets a committee record expenses with receipts, send notices with read tracking, and share monthly figures with residents. You can start free at https://nearlify.app/signup.