WATER METERS FOR SHILLONG RESIDENTS

Households in Meghalaya’s State capital Shillong would have water meters installed once the Greater Shillong Water Supply Scheme (GSWSS) Phase-III is completed this year by the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department.

Under the scheme, all households would be able to draw water and their bills would be calculated based on the water they consume. The total population in the State capital, to be covered under the project, is estimated to be 5.12 lakh. This, experts say would help minimize wastage of water.

The use of water meters was mooted by AusAid in 2004-05 when the organizations carried out various projects in the State and suggested the implementation of water meters to minimize wastage and augment the Government coffers.

Under the AUSAID’s pilot project, 150 water meters were installed in Jail road in the State capital during the same period and based on the feedb

ack from the pilot project the decisions to have water meters was roughly formulated.

“Water meters would be installed in all the households that would be covered under the GSWSS phase-III and the billing and other formalities would be done accordingly by the PHE once the project is completed,” PW Ingty, Principal Secretary, PHE, said.

 However the project, funded under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission at a cost of Rs 193 crore, has witnessed undue delays and missed several completion deadlines. Ingty said that according to the PHE, 62 per cent work on the project has been completed so far, but in some areas here there have been problems for laying of water pipes.

 

“In Mawlai and parts of Jaiaw there has been problems in obtaining permission for laying of the pipes, these issues are being sorted out,” he said. After the completion of the project the supply of water would be 135 litre per day per capita, officials said.