The Times of India             14.08.2013

Kerala Water Authority gears up to garner more revenue

KOCHI: As part of efforts to generate more revenue and to become more consumer friendly, Kerala Water Authority (KWA) has decentralized the procedures to give water connections. KWA had issued orders giving power to assistant engineers at section office level to give new connections under his or her limits from August 1.

Earlier, a consumer had to submit the application to the section office and it would be forwarded to assistant executive engineers. After scrutinizing the application, the assistant executive engineer had to send it back to assistant engineer to give the connection. "Despite introducing several schemes, we couldn't increase the number of drinking water connections. A close watch showed the procedural delays standing in the way of allotting new connections. That's why we decided to decentralize the system," said KWA finance manager V S Pradeep. "Now, it is implemented on an experimental basis. If proven successful it would be made permanent," he said.

So far, KWA has given a total of 14 lakh drinking water connections across the state, whereas KSEB's connections stand at around 70 lakh. It plans to give three lakh more connections in a year.

In the last five years only less than one-and-a-half lakh water connections were given.

"As we already have the infrastructure, we will not incur much additional cost for providing more connections. Only the cost of billing would be the extra cost," said Pradeep.

The KWA also has plans to provide the plumbers required for installing new connections. "Many people complain that licensed plumbers charge hefty fees. So, we have plans to arrange plumbers for the consumers if they want. Our officials will work out the cost for giving new connections and charge will not exceed the actuals," Pradeep said.

If the consumer requests, KWA will provide water meters as well. "We will buy meters from reliable manufacturers once the consumer remits the amount required for it. But the consumers can also purchase the water meters on their own," he said.