'Apply for Cauvery, or lose borewell connection'

 People’s lack of enthusiasm to avail of new water supply connections from the Cauvery IV Stage II Phase to be commissioned on October 31 has disappointed the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB).

The water board, so far, has been able to get only 10,000 new consumers as against the target of two lakh people.

 Even conducting camps to urge people in the newly-added BBMP areas to get authorised water connections has failed to summon expected results.

The poor response of people to new water supply connections has turned out to be a headache for the BWSSB, as they are wary of generating revenue from the new project.

Once the project is commissioned, the BWSSB will have to bear additional electricity charges.

Unable to rope in people to get authorised water connections, the BWSSB has decided to disconnect borewell water supply to residents of newly-added BBMP areas. 

“If the residents fail to avail new water connections before November 30, they will have to pay for road-cutting charges,” sources in the BWSSB said.

T Venkataraju, engineer-in-chief, BWSSB said that people are unsure of receiving water from the new project.

“A majority of residents have not paid the Beneficiary Capital Contribution (BCC). Consumers who have already paid BCC while laying the water pipelines decline to pay again for the application form, meter installation charges etc.

With no option in sight, we plan to disconnect borewell water connections so that they have to avail new Cauvery connections,” he added.

 Many new consumers have complained about plumber charges, which is Rs 500 besides meter installation charges.

Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar will commission Cauvery IV Stage II Phase on October 31. With the launch of the project, the board will switch on one motor that pumps nearly 100 million litres of water every day. For this, the board will have to cough up Rs four crore as electricity charges, a BWSSB official said.

The BWSSB pays nearly Rs 33 crore every month as electricity charges that includes borewell pumping charges from the old City Municipal council areas.
With no increase in water tariff and people’s apathy to get new water connections, the BWSSB is in a fix.