The Hindu : Front Page : Notices force buildings to install water meters

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Tuesday, Mar 18, 2008
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Notices force buildings to install water meters

K. Lakshmi

Those served notices by Metrowater must have them in place by March 31

CHENNAI: About 5,800 of the 14,000 buildings, which have been served notices by Chennai Metrowater since early month, have installed water flow meters so far.

Metrowater has issued notices to multi-storeyed buildings, including commercial, asking them to install the meters by March 31.

A senior Metrowater official said nearly 18,000 multi-storeyed buildings with more than three floors and buildings with two floors have been identified for installation of the meters. Notices are being issued in a phased manner.

Buildings with single floor constructed after 2004 have also been asked to install water meters. Water supply would be metered from April 1 on a monthly basis, the official said.

Water meters are now available in large hardware shops across the city. Metrowater would also install them on request and collect the charges from the residents’ welfare associations. The bill of water charges, assessed as per the total consumption of residents in an apartment complex, would be sent to residents’ associations as individual billing was not feasible, the official said.

Meters with ISI mark

On the quality of the water meters, he said consumers need to look for those with ISI mark, the prescribed standard of Bureau of Standards. Metrowater has placed orders for about 2,500 meters. Another official said the meters have to be handed over to the nearest depot office in each area for testing at the Metrowater-owned laboratory in Kilpauk. Of the total meters tested so far, only a few did not meet the required standard. About disconnection of water supply mentioned in the notice, he said it would be resorted to only as a last measure.

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