Govt likely to install water meters to check misuse of tap water

SRINAGAR — Aimed to stop the misuse of tap water, the government is likely to start work on the installation of water meters in Jammu and Kashmir.

The water meter installation is a part of the Government of India’s project which was supposed to be implemented in a phased manner years ago.

A senior official said that work on the installation of water meters is expected to begin from April this year. “Srinagar and Jammu cities will be covered in the first phase. The other districts will also be covered later,” the official told news agency KINS.

Users from all categories will be covered under the project, including the residential, commercial, industrial areas and institutional establishments.

“We will first complete the installation of water meters to the commercial establishments, then go to other sectors. The installation of water meters is to bring an end to the imprudent use of drinking water and yield revenue to the government as a significant portion of the daily consumption of water is used for non-potable purposes like gardening and washing vehicles. The proposal for installation of water meters was framed years ago but was kept on hold as the previous elected government’s feared backlash in the elections,” the official said.

The official, however, said that the installation of water meters was not to put any burden on consumers. “After installation of water meters, there will be 24×7 tap water to all consumers. Besides, it will also stop the misuse of water as many people use tap water for gardening and also washing their vehicles, resulting in many areas facing a shortage of tap water. The water shortage problem can only be resolved if people are willing to change their attitude towards water consumption,” the official said.

Many states and cities in India have already installed metering of domestic as well as commercial water connections including Chandigarh, Mumbai, and Delhi. The residents in these areas have opted for smart water meters linked to phones that provide updates on consumption data and the bill.