Meter fixing reaches nowhere; water loss continues unabated

Meter fixing reaches nowhere; water loss continues unabated
x
Highlights

A pilot project by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) to install Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) meters at various slums to reduce water loss and improve revenue of the board, is yet to enter its execution stage. 

Hyderabad: A pilot project by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) to install Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) meters at various slums to reduce water loss and improve revenue of the board, is yet to enter its execution stage.

The project was supposed to begin in the first week of July. Despite the machines being ready for installation, a senior official from water board said, the HMWS&SB was yet to decide on the areas for installation of these meters. This has not only been resulting in loss of revenue but also water during acute crisis.

According to the Water Board official, out of the total nine lakh estimated water connections, more than 4.5 lakh connections lack water meters. Remaining mechanical meters are found to be tampered. After noticing a huge amount of water and revenue loss due to these tampered meters, the Water Board last year had considered the idea of replacing them.

Among the proposed Radio Frequency Identification, Automatic Meter Reading (AMR), GSM-based and mechanical meters, the Water Board narrowed down to RFID meters in the month of June this year. These meters are already being used in other metropolitan cities such as Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore and are found to be accurate in accounting for the amount of water being used.

Earlier, in the month of June, HMWS&SB had decided to install RFID meters in areas of Chintal Basti, SR Nagar and Gachibowli with an estimated cost of Rs 172.66 lakh. “We have acquired the meters and they are ready to be installed but we are yet to confirm on the areas for installing these meters,” the Water Board official said. He further added that a meeting would be held with the MD M Dana Kishore in this regard and the works would likely begin within a week.

Show Full Article
Print Article
Next Story
More Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENTS