Kerala Water Authority to track meter tampering

KOCHI:  In view of the water tariff hike, the NRWM unit (non revenue water management unit) of the Kerala Water Authority is tightening its noose around those consumers who tamper with water meters, use illegal water connections, who directly draw water from KWA pipe lines and bill defaulters.

“With the water tariff hike, there are great chances of tampering with meters by both domestic and commercial consumers. Hence, we plan to launch an intensive drive to track meter tampering and use of faulty meters,” said K.M Siddique, KWA assistant executive engineer and chief of the NRWM unit.

For consumption between 15,000 and 20,000 litres, consumers will have to pay an additional amount of Rs 2 per kilo  litre.  In effect, the revised tariff will be Rs 6 per kilo litre for the entire consumption. According to NRWM unit members, cases of water theft may go up with the tariff hike.

“We’ve been hitherto focusing on tracking commercial establishments and bulk consumers for water theft, but now have to concentrate on domestic consumers as well. Since the consumers are yet to get the new bill as per the new tariff, there has not been any sharp increase in the extent of water theft,” added the KWA official.

Meanwhile, the NRWM unit has been conducting regular raids to track defaulters and illegal connections in parts of the district. In October, the NRWM unit could garner more than Rs 2 lakhs from major defaulters and illegal connections as fines and water charges. Based on complaints of misuse of public taps, KWA authorities imposed a fine on families who were found to be drawing water from public taps to be stored in underground tanks.
 
There are complaints that due to unauthorised water connections, those having valid connections are deprived of water supply, with remote areas in West Kochi being the worst affected.