Gone are the days of wasting water. The Public Health Engineering, PHE, department has started installing water meters in houses to check wastage of water in the city. Here are a few things to know about this pilot project:
- PHE has started trials in three areas of the city in Trikuta Nagar, Shastri Nagar and Karna Nagar. If the trials were successful and revenue recovery improved, these meters would be installed in other areas of the city.
- The meters are being installed by the Economic Reconstruction Agency, ERA.
- At present, the department needs 65 million gallons of water per day to supply regular water to the city, but the department is only able to supply 50 million gallons of water. There is a shortage of 15 million gallons of water per day.
- So far, consumers are paying Rs.1920 a year but after installation of the meters, consumers will have to pay by litres.
- While earlier the billing was done on annual basis, but after installing the meters, the department will bill the consumers twice a year- in September and March. Consumers will be able to deposit the billed amount in banks.
- So better change your habits if you are wasteful of water because soon you’re going to pay for every glass of water you drink, or every bucket of water you waste.
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The water meter installation project is a part of the Government of India sponsored Urban Infrastructure Development in Small and Medium Towns (UIDSMT) scheme and component of Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) was supposed to be implemented in the state in a phased manner.
The PHE had reportedly faced stiff resistance in several areas of the Jammu and Kashmir for installation of meters.
Presently, there are thousands of illegal water connections in the state and the department has not been able to collect the water usage charges from consumers.
