The Times of India          09.11.2013

Water audit soon to weed out illegal connections

HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) will implement a pilot project, beginning with the S R Nagar Division-VI, to audit water which goes unaccounted for.

The authorities claim that though 340 million gallons of water per day (MGD) is supplied to 7.80 lakh customers in the city, they are able to account for only 170 MGD.

To know accurate quantity of water up to section and docket level, the HMWS&SB has chosen S R Nagar Division-VI areas like Somajiguda, Punjagutta, MS Maktha, BS Maktha, Yellareddyguda,

BK Guda, Ameerpet, Balkampet, Chintal Basthi, Vengal Rao Nagar, Guttala Begumpet, Fathenagar, Venkatagiri and Yousufguda among others to carry out audit.

"The SR Nagar division has 78,000 connections (as per CANs, consumer account numbers), both domestic and commercial. Of them, the Water Board issues bills to 43,000 CANs only. The Water Board is supplying 35 million gallons of water per day (original allocation is 41 MGD) once in three days/alternative days, but it is not able to account for around 20 mgd," HMWS&SB general manager D Ramchandra Reddy told TOI.

The process of auditing would start from slum areas in the division. According to records, 54 notified slums are in the Division-VI. Also, of 78,000 water connections/CANs, 29,000 are in the slums. The Water Board supplies on an average between 15 KL and 25 KL. "As per our findings, most of the properties in slum areas are three-storied buildings where hostels are being operated. The Water Board collects has been issuing water bills to slum areas at the rate of Rs 7 per KL (0-15 KL) and Rs 10 (16-30KL) under domestic category from slum residents. As a result, the Water Board is losing revenue," he said.

"As part of the water audit, we will fix mobile water meters at source and find out the exact supplies to M S Maktha (a slum) in the division. We will then tally it with the registered CANs. In case, the quantity does not tally, then we will take up a survey to weed out illegal connections. The process will start in a day or two and would be completed in 45 days in the entire division," the official added.