WITH A view to checking pilferage of water ahead of scorching summer, the Bhopal Municipal Corporation has decided to meter even the domestic connections. Process of metering domestic water connections along with bulk connections would be launched shortly.
A recent report prepared by Asian Development Bank (ADB) consultants estimated a whopping 64 per cent loss through leakages, pilferage, bursting of pipelines, illegal connections among other reasons. This accumulated loss is called as unaccounted water by BMC officials and costs about Rs 30-crore to the Corporation’s kitty.
Sources said that in the first phase, the audit of unaccounted water would be carried out to know exact locations of losses through leakages. The process would be carried out by installing meters on both sides of any particular pipeline.
Besides, the bulk connections holders would also be provided water through metered pipelines. This report also found that only 40 percent of the citizens of the State Capital are having direct water tap connections at their houses and 30 per cent of the citizens are dependent on public water taps.
The remaining 70 per cent population is still dependent on its own water sources, said this report. The BMC has the capacity of supplying about 60 million gallons per day (mgd) of water through its various sources. The BMC claimed that it has been supplying about 55 mgd of water to the City. This quantity is sufficient for more than 18 lakh of population if supplied according to national standard. However, there has been higher rate of losses.
{{/usCountry}}The remaining 70 per cent population is still dependent on its own water sources, said this report. The BMC has the capacity of supplying about 60 million gallons per day (mgd) of water through its various sources. The BMC claimed that it has been supplying about 55 mgd of water to the City. This quantity is sufficient for more than 18 lakh of population if supplied according to national standard. However, there has been higher rate of losses.
{{/usCountry}}According to BMC’s Water Works Department officials, the illegal connections are also a big problem. In a city having population of about 17-18 lakh, only 1.07 lakh connections are registered. There could be a similar number of illegal connections, estimates an official. The officials also believe that there is an urgent need to enhance the capacity of BMC’s filtration plants.
When asked, a senior Water Works Department official told the Hindustan Times that installing the meters in the domestic connections would prove an uphill task. “It would depend on political will of the elected representatives of BMC. But the metering would definitely prove helpful to deal with the leakages and water crisis”, said an official.