No more queues for water in slum areas

BANGALORE: The slum dwellers, who wait in long queues near public taps to fetch a pitcher of water in the city might very  soon find a solution to their water woes. As Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) is planning to provide safe drinking water line connections to their doorsteps without charging any money. The civic body is planning to provide the service to approximately  120 slums in the core areas, there by not just reducing their ‘burden’ but also reducing the possibilities of water borne diseases.The BWSSB chairman PB Ramamurthy said, “The project is being undertaken at the cost of `62 crore with assistance from Japan International Cooperation agency and will be completed within the next fifteen months. We will be laying the pipeline upto the houses of the slum dwellers and  will also instal the meters and taps without collecting any extra charges.” He also mentioned, “However, we will collect some nominal charges for the water that will be supplied to them.’’Ramamurthy also said that apart from the existing areas the connections will also be provided to the slum dwellers in the newly added areas in the next phase as well.  According to Ramamurthy the BWSSB has finished conducting feasibility study for all the 120 identified slums and technical study in 33 slums.  According to the estimates the BWSSB will give connections to over 20,000 households in the 33 slums that were covered in the technical study.  The BWSSB is in the process of preparing the estimates for the tenders and will very soon invite tenders for giving connections in the 33 slums. The BWSSB is also in the process of conducting a technical survey for the remaining 87 slums.“This will not only save a lot of time of these residents who stand in long queue to collect water but also prevent the indiscriminate wastage of water and help us reduce the unaccounted water spillage and wastage,’’ Ramamurthy added. Though the BWSSB will start giving connections to the slum dweller at the earliest the water will be supplied to them only after the ongoing Cauvery IV Stage II Phase drinking water project is completed.