The Indian Express               02.01.2014

Tepid response for water supply improvement project

THE ambitious Water Distribution Improvement Programme (WIDP) for equitable distribution and effective management of water supply in the city has received lukewarm response from bidders. Only two firms have expressed interest in the project so far. The project involves leak detection, GIS mapping of the existing water supply network, reducing water contamination and a 24/7 customer support helpline.

"As of now, only two firms have bid for the project. We are currently scrutinising their proposals and will decide on allotting the contract only if they fulfil all the criteria of the project," said Ramesh Bamble, hydraulic engineer. The project, estimated to cost over Rs 100 crore, is expected to be implemented in Bandra and Mulund on a pilot basis, following which it will be implemented across the city.

Under the new project, the BMC also plans to identify sources of water contamination and low pressure areas.

The civic administration, which had planned to begin work on the project by October 2013, cited bureaucratic delays in the tender process. "The tender process was delayed due to paperwork, but the project is now on track and we hope to finish the scrutiny process soon," said a senior civic official.

The proposal will finally be sent to the civic standing committee for approval once the scrutiny process is complete, said officials. They added that the process is likely to take around three months.

While it had hoped to receive interest from a wider range of Indian and foreign firms, only two foreign firms - Vonia Water India Private Ltd and European based Suez Environment Pvt Ltd - bid for the project.

Of the 3,500 million litres of water that is supplied to the city every day, nearly 700 million litres is unaccounted for, which means it is either lost to leakages or is stolen. The total demand for water in the city is estimated to be around 4,200 million litres daily.