Short answer
What does IS 1172 say about water demand and fittings for a house? IS 1172:1993 gives minimum water rates per head per day for residences, from 40 litres at a standpost to 150 to 200 litres in large cities with full flushing. It gives 135 litres only for lower-income and economically weaker houses. It lists the minimum fittings for a dwelling. It does not size a water tank, so your engineer or plumber must do that.
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IS 1172 is the Indian code of basic requirements for water supply, drainage and sanitation in buildings. It is the reference many plumbers, engineers and municipal officers use when they discuss how much water a building needs and what fittings it should have. This page sets out what the code says for a house, and what it leaves for others to decide.
IS 1172 describes itself as a standard of good practice that takes the form of recommendations. Your local bye-laws and your engineer decide what is required on your plot.
What does IS 1172 cover?
The code covers water supply, drainage and sanitation for residential, commercial, industrial and other buildings in urban areas (clause 1.1). It does not cover water used in an industrial process, or the water needed for overcrowding (clause 1.2). Fire water is not in the code: Table 1 refers to IS 9668 for fire demand.
The code assumes an average family of five people and that 9 square metres of floor area is occupied by not more than two persons (clause 1.2). These are background assumptions, not demand figures.
How much water per head does the code give for a house?
Clause 4.1 gives rates in litres per head per day (lphd). The rate depends on the size of the community and whether it has a flushing system. Clause 4.1 gives the rates as follows, set out here in a table:
| Community | Flushing system | Minimum rate (litres per head per day) |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 20,000 people | No | 40 at a standpost; 70 to 100 through a house service connection |
| 20,000 to 100,000 people | Full flushing system | 100 to 150 |
| Above 100,000 people | Full flushing system | 150 to 200 |
Source: IS 1172:1993, clause 4.1. The rates are minimums, and the code calls them “minimum for domestic and non domestic needs”.
Two notes in clause 4.1 change how the figures read:
- Lower-income houses. The 150 to 200 figure “may be reduced to 135 litres per head per day for houses for Lower Income Groups (LIG) and Economically Weaker Section of Society (EWS), depending upon prevailing conditions” (clause 4.1, note). The 135 figure is for these houses, not for every urban house.
- Flushing share. Clause 4.1.1 says that “out of the 150 to 200 litres per head per day, 45 litres per head per day may be taken for flushing requirements and the remaining quantity for other domestic purposes”. The word “may” makes this a permitted split, not a fixed rule.
Clause 4.1 also says that 70 to 100 litres per head per day “may be considered adequate for domestic needs of urban communities, apart from non domestic needs as flushing requirements”. That sentence sits beside the tiered table and does not replace it. Do not quote it on its own as the urban rate.
What rates does the code give for other buildings?
Clause 4.2 says that other buildings follow Table 1. Units differ by building type, and the code prints them as they are. Some examples:
| Building type (examples from Table 1) | Rate as printed |
|---|---|
| Offices | 45 per head |
| Hotel | 180 per head |
| Hostels | 135 per head |
| Restaurants | 70 per seat |
| Cinemas, concert halls and theatres | 15 per seat |
| Day schools | 45 per head |
Source: IS 1172:1993, Table 1. The table also gives figures for factories and hospitals. Use the table as printed, and keep the unit with the figure.
What fittings does the code ask for in a house?
Clause 5.2.1 lists the minimum fittings for a dwelling with individual conveniences:
- one bath room with a tap;
- one water-closet;
- one nahani or sink, either in the floor or raised from the floor, with a tap.
The code adds that where only one water-closet is provided, the bath and water-closet shall be separately accommodated (clause 5.2.1). It also says that water-closets are of the Indian style, which means squatting, unless otherwise indicated (note under clause 5.2.1).
Clause 5.1 says every building shall have at least one water tap and drainage near each water-closet. Clause 5.2.2 covers dwellings without individual conveniences: one tap with drainage in each tenement, one water-closet and one bath for every two tenements, and taps in the common bath rooms.
What does IS 1172 not give?
The code does not give:
- A tank size or storage period. The standard has no clause on overhead tanks, sumps or storage capacity. The only storage-related sentence is clause 3.4, which requires water heating and storage devices to be designed and installed to prevent dangers from explosion through overheating. Tank sizing is covered on the water tank page.
- A flow rate or pressure. Clause 3.2 says fixtures shall be supplied “in sufficient volume and at pressures adequate to enable them to function satisfactorily”. No number is given.
- A fire demand figure. Table 1 refers the reader to IS 9668 for fire demand. This page does not quote a fire figure.
Figures from later documents are not in IS 1172. The water tank page quotes figures attributed to a later standard, SP 7:2026, which this page could not check. Do not mix those figures with the ones on this page.
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What mistakes should I avoid?
These are practice points, not rules in IS 1172:
- Quoting one figure for every house. The rate depends on the size of the community and on flushing. Ask which band the plumber or engineer used.
- Treating 135 as the normal urban figure. The code gives 135 for LIG and EWS houses only.
- Using the 45 litres for flushing as a fixed amount. Clause 4.1.1 says it “may be taken”. Your plumber decides the split for your house.
- Using IS 1172 to size a tank. The code does not size tanks. Ask for the tank calculation and the number of days of storage the drawing assumes.
Frequently asked questions
How much water does a person need per day under IS 1172?
It depends on the community. The code gives 40 litres at a standpost in a small community, 70 to 100 through a house connection in a small community, 100 to 150 for communities of 20,000 to 100,000 people with full flushing, and 150 to 200 for communities above 100,000 with full flushing (clause 4.1). For LIG and EWS houses the code allows 135 (clause 4.1 note; foreword).
Does IS 1172 say how big my water tank should be?
No. The standard has no tank sizing rule. The water tank page explains how a tank is sized from the daily need, and why the storage period is an engineering decision.
What is a nahani in IS 1172?
The code uses the word in clause 5.2.1(c) as one of the minimum fittings: a nahani or sink in the floor or raised from it, with a tap. The floor trap page explains the trap names.
Is IS 1172 mandatory?
The code describes itself as recommendations. Your local bye-laws, the municipal authority and your engineer decide what is required for your house. The IS codes page lists which standard covers what.
Related guides
- Water tank size for a house: litres per person and tank capacity
- Floor trap vs nahani trap vs multi-floor trap: what each name means
- IS codes for house construction: which standard covers what
- Flushing cistern: dual flush, flush valve, and a cistern that runs
This guide is general information. Read the disclaimer. Your plumber and your engineer decide the water supply and tank for your house.
Sources
General information only. It is not a structural design or professional advice. Ask a licensed structural engineer or architect to check your plans and site.