The Hindu : Front Page : Water meters mandatory for all buildings

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Thursday, May 01, 2008
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Water meters mandatory for all buildings

K.Lakshmi

— Photo: S.S. Kumar

FLOW MONITORS: Water meters on display at T.Nagar office of Metrowater.

CHENNAI: Chennai Metrowater has made installation of water flow meters mandatory for all residential and commercial buildings with sump connections. They have been asked to install the meters by May 31.

Earlier, multi-storied and special buildings had been asked to install the meters and Metrowater started issuing notices from March. A total of 38,500 structures, including individual houses, have already received the notices. The deadline for them ended on Wednesday, but is being extended to May 31.

According to a Metrowater official, the decision to cover all the buildings with water sump connections is in line with the proposal to meter all connections, barring supply through hand pumps.

Out of the 38,500-odd buildings identified, 9,668 had fixed water meters as on Wednesday. The monthly reading for water meters fixed till now began in April.

Several residents complained that they found it difficult to purchase the meters. Residents such as C.G. Ratnam of Anna Nagar said the fixed rate of Rs.15 per kilo litre was high for households, whose consumption was relatively less than that of multi-storeyed buildings. Making a comparison with similar systems in Bangalore and Hyderabad (that follow the slab rate system), he said while the rate was Rs.12 for two kilo litres in those cities, it worked out to Rs.30 for two kilo litres in Chennai.

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