Water Board to issue separate CANs to sewerage users from Jan

HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) will start issuing bills from January to consumers who use its sewerage network but do not have water connection.

A recent survey conducted by the Water Board found that nearly 50,000 consumers, including those in hospitals, function halls and cinema halls, had sewerage connections but were using the board's sewer network without paying any amount.

"We have decided to allot Sewerage Consumer Account Number (SCAN) on the lines of CAN to sewerage connection-only customers. Once, the Water Board allots SCANs, we will issue bills to consumers based on tariff fixed by the Municipal Administration and Urban Development department," HMWS&SB executive director K Ashoka Reddy told TOI.

According to the new tariff, consumers (individual domestic/residential) up to 80 square (sq) metres (mts) plinth area need not pay sewerage cess. For plot owners between 81 and 200 sq mts, Rs 50 per month, 201 sq mts-400 sq mts Rs 60 and above 400 sq mts Rs 60 and 50 paise for every additional sq mt.

For multi-storied residential complexes, apartments up to 1,120 sq ft (112 sq mts) plinth area, the Water Board has fixed Rs 50 per month cess and above 1,200 sq ft, Rs 70 per month.

Hospitals and nursing homes have to pay cess based on bed capacity. For instance, for hospitals having 1 to 25 beds, the Water Board has fixed Rs 1,500 per month as sewerage cess, while those having 20 to 50 beds Rs 2,000, 51-100 beds Rs 10,000 and above 100 beds Rs 10,000 and Rs 2,500 for every additional block of 80 rooms.

For cinema halls, multiplexes, function halls and banquet halls up to 1,000 sq mts plinth area, the cess would be Rs 2,500 per month, up to 2,000 sq mts Rs 5,000 and above 2,000 sq mts Rs 5,000 and Rs two for every additional sq mt of plinth area.

For the past two months, managers have been contacting consumers and asking them to apply for SCANs. "So far, we have received 17,000 applications from consumers. We will wrap up allotment of SCANs by December-end," he added.