The Hindu 31.08.2012
Corporation to examine feasibility of 24/7 water supply
Plans to appoint a consultant to prepare a project report
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.
