Sanitation contributes to climate change through the emission of three main greenhouse gases – carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. According to a report on climate resilient urban sanitation, the high rate of greenhouse gas emissions from sanitation is due to direct disposal of untreated wastewater into the environment, generating nearly three times larger carbon footprint than treated wastewater disposal. On the other hand, climate change disrupts sanitation services, and adversely affects sewer systems and on-site sanitation systems (OSSs) during extreme weather events such as cyclones, flooding, and drought. The sanitation structures also become a source of chemical and biological contamination, with attendant public health consequences. Thus, proper containment and treatment of human waste is important in mitigating climate change. The present study aims to understand the role of building rules and monitoring by urban local bodies (ULBs) in the construction and maintenance of safe and climate-resilient sanitation systems in India, in the context of Tiruchirappalli (Trichy), a city with high rate of urbanisation and the fourth largest corporation in the state of Tamil Nadu.