With bill collection going haywire due to non-payment by some consumers, the Water Board has issued notices to 4,500 defaulters, of whom 675 will have their supply discontinued soon, the Water Board’s managing director, Mr J. Syamala Rao, said. According to Mr Rao, the Water Board has a monthly bill collection target of Rs 59 crore from 7.9 lakh water consumers in the twin cities.
But the Board is able to raise only Rs 49 crore, the managing director said on Monday. Given this shortfall, notices have been issued to 4,500 defaulters, who, between them, owe Rs 8.6 crore to the Water Board. Of these, 675 defaulters have been shortlisted for disconnection, Mr Rao said. According to the Water Board MD, outstanding dues from private consumers are Rs 300 crore while those from government departments run up to Rs 170 crore.
“The department aims to provide better service to water consumers in the twin cities. But given the huge number of defaulters, the arrears have to be reduced at any cost to run the Board efficiently and provide better service,” he said. Concerned over the scanty inflow to the five reservoirs, Mr Rao said the Board will be able to manage supply till the next monsoon, though it anticipates some problems. “There won’t be any problem thereafter, as both Krishna Phase-III and Godavari projects would be completed,” he said.