Corporation to examine feasibility of 24/7 water supply
In what could be a far-reaching and ambitious move, Tiruchi Corporation
is considering the feasibility of extending round-the-clock drinking
water supply in the city. Initially, the move is likely to be
implemented on a pilot basis in select areas of the city.
As a first step in this direction, the corporation has planned to
appoint a consultant to study and prepare a feasibility report on
providing 24/7 water supply on international standards, corporation
sources told The Hindu. The consultant would also identify the areas where the system could be implemented.
An official resolution would be tabled at the next meeting of the
corporation council seeking its nod for appointing the consultant. Once
the council cleared it, the proposal would be sent to the Commissioner
of Municipal Administration seeking approval and identification of a
suitable consultant.
Rs.221 crore scheme
The move comes in the wake of the implementation of the Rs.221crore
drinking water supply augmentation scheme, funded by Japan International
Cooperation Agency, for the city. Once the scheme was commissioned,
official sources pointed out, the city would get an additional water
supply of 58 million litres a day (MLD), taking the total supply to 156
MLD.
Once the project was commissioned, the corporation would be able to
provide round-the-clock supply, the sources said. But this would also
entail introduction of a metering system to calculate the water consumed
by the consumers. However, supply to slum localities would be
subsidised. Corporation officials also made it clear that there would
not be much difference in the existing water charges, but for minor
differences.
The system, if introduced, would help in reducing the wastage by
consumers and also help in bringing down the expenditure incurred by the
corporation towards pumping water.
“Under the current system, the water supplied for specified duration is
often stored by consumers and a substantial quantity is used for
purposes other than drinking or cooking. People often use the drinking
water for washing and even gardening,” a senior corporation official
pointed out.
Uniform centage charge
The corporation also plans to fix uniform centage charge for providing
new household water connections under the new drinking water supply
scheme. About 1.10 lakh new water connections could be provided under
the new water scheme. Once the scheme was commissioned, the corporation
could get additional revenue of Rs.13.20 crore a year by way of the
monthly water charge of Rs.100 being collected now.
The deposit for household connections could be collected either in
lumpsum or in six quarterly instalments. The corporation plans to
procure the required pipes and other hardware required to provide the
new connections. The issue would also come for the corporation council
for its decision soon.
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