BWSSB losing revenue in new areas

 The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) is facing a tough time convincing residents of the newly-added areas of BBMP to regularise their water connections.

Of the 80,000-odd connections provided under the Greater Bangalore Water and Sanitation Project (GBWASP) in these areas, nearly 50 per cent of the consumers are receiving water free of cost especially in Bangalore East.

Shift from borewell

These consumers were mainly dependent on borewell all these years and were hardly paying water bills. Now, when Cauvery water is being supplied to these areas, the ‘attitude’ of not paying water bills still continues, says T Venkataraju, engineer-in-chief, BWSSB.

“When they are already receiving water, they don’t feel the need to regularise their connections. Despite officials visiting their houses during inspections and informing them to regularise their water connections, the residents are very reluctant,” he added.

Besides loss of revenue, Venkataraju says that it has now become critical to give an ultimatum to the consumer to regularise their connections by April 15, 2013.

He said that initially, people from these areas complained of shortage of water and when Cauvery water was finally supplied to them, they are not co-operating with BWSSB.