Chandigarh: Users told to replace faulty water meters within month

Sandeep Rana

Chandigarh, June 15

The city municipal corporation has asked consumers to get their defective, lost or stolen water meters replaced within a month of issuance of notice or risk losing connection, besides getting penalised.

Do it by July 15 or face penalty: MC

• MC says users have to get faulty meters replaced within a month of issuance of water bill in case of a defective meter or lose connection & get penalised
• It has via a public notice asked those who have not got faulty meters replaced despite a notice-cum-water bill to get new ones installed by July 15
• Chandigarh Tribune had highlighted issue average billing by MC; civic body says some consumers are, knowingly or unknowingly, not replacing meters

The MC has stated as per the provisions of the Chandigarh Water Supply Bylaws-2011, as amended from time to time, it is the responsibility of the consumer to get the faulty water meters replaced within a month of the date of issuance of water bill in case of a defective instrument.

The civic body has come out with a public notice asking those who have failed to get their faulty meters replaced despite issuance of notice-cum-water bill to get new ones installed by July 15.

17K notices served

Notices issued to date 17,570

Applications received 4,429

Meters replaced 3,606

Applications under process 823

Daily notices being issued 400

The consumers can apply for a change of water meter through the water and sewerage section of “I’m Chandigarh App”. They will have to pay around Rs 2,000 for the new meter, installation and testing. The charges will reflect in their water bills.

A week ago, Chandigarh Tribune had highlighted how residents have been complaining of inflated bills with the MC resorting to average billing, irrespective of their actual water consumption, owing to faulty meters. It has now been found that some consumers have, knowingly or unknowingly, not replaced their faulty meters.

How to apply

Consumers can apply for a change of water meter through the water and sewerage section of “I’m Chandigarh App”. They will have to pay around Rs 2,000 for the new meter, installation and testing.

MC officials said average billing caused a lot of water wastage and they were not realising the revenue on an actual consumption basis.

The civic body had recently found around 42,000 water meters in the city lying defective for the past five years.

The MC officials, however, say in the near future, ultrasonic smart water meters will be installed in the city under the 24×7 water supply project, providing 100% accurate meter reading. Once installed, MC staff will no longer be required to visit households to take the reading, which will be visible on the supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system. The new meters have already been installed in Mani Majra under the pilot project.