As per WHO standards, city gets 150mld excess water

THANE: The civic administration's delay in installation of water meters to the 1.30 lakh connections in the city is leading to a colossal loss of treated and expensive water worth nearly Rs 38 crore, it is learnt. It is believed that the city recieves an excess of approximately 150 million litres of purified water per day, as the daily consumption remains way above the daily requirement. A rough estimate of the required supply, as prescribed by the WHO standards, reveals that a city with a population of around 22 lakh needs roughly 330 mld water to suffice the daily needs. However, the TMC consumptions charts show that the 480 mld water is pumped to households and other use.

As per the WHO standards, 150 litres water is required per capita in urban cities. Around 80 litres is ideally to be consumed for drinking, cooking and bathing including cleaning clothes, etc. In addition to the use of 70 litres for flushing, few houses consume nearly 100 litres more for gardening, car washes, and other allied purposes suggests the WHO.

Few experts, however, add the quantum of wastage would be higher as not all socities use municipal supplied water as they have their independent resources for non-potable usage.

Officials admit that while smart meters would do away with the problem, it would take another year for the meter installation project to set rolling as the administration is first working towards ensuring 24x7 supply in the city. Around Rs 75 crores cost is expected to install nearly 1.30lakh meters on all domestic and commercial connections in the city which will be secured till the next one year.

Water meters will help the administration understand the actual usage in the city and also help it charge its consumers accordingly. Presently, the TMC levies a lumsum rate on the basis of the residential area which activists say is unfair.

Activists fear the rampant wastage of water is likely to continue well past this year also. They say the administration seems to not have learnt any lessons from the water scarcity witnessed this season.

The city presently purchases treated water from various agencies like the STEM, MIDC, BMC at varied rates ranging between Rs 7,500-9,000 per million litres (ml) and Rs 4,000/ml for untreated water. The losses approximately work out to around Rs 10.50lakhs daily or roughly Rs 38 crore every year.

Activists have expressed concern over this unwarranted wastage of water and say the meters must be installed as soon as possible to plug further pilferage of water.

“It is high time, the civic administration works out a strategy to supply water as per usage. The city might be aspiring to get a smart tag, but this rampant wastage of a precious commodity defies logic,” said a citizen activist.

When contacted, Ravindra Khadtale, deputy city engineer and in-charge of the water supply department said the meters would be installed using Amrut funds which could take nearly a year. “The installation of the smart meters will be done using funds from the centre. We are expecting nearly Rs 75 crore for the same by the year end following which the same would be taken for implementation,” he said.