With the Coimbatore Corporation on the verge of commissioning the Dedicated Pilloor Drinking Water Supply Scheme, the question that arises is what next?
Of course, improved water supply. But it does not end there. The water also brings with it increase in water consumption charges, as decided by the Corporation Council in its August 2011 sitting.
The civic body decided that it would revise the water supply and also the deposit but with a rider that the new charges would come into effect once the water supply scheme, also called Pilloor II, was commissioned.
The civic body first decided to raise the consumption charges at its December 2009 meeting. The proposal presented to the Councillors said that the civic body was mandated to do so as it had given a commitment in the financial viability report for implementing the Pilloor water supply scheme, which is partly funded by the Central Government under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.
With the Corporation likely to start the trial run in the next couple of days and then commence water supply soon thereafter, the chances are that it may bring into force the revised water consumption charges. (See accompanying graphic for details)
The other reason that may compel the civic body to revise the tariff is the increase in fee charged by the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board for supply of Siruvani, Pilloor and Aliyar waters. The Board recently revised the tariff after a decade. But sources in the Corporation hinted that rise in consumption charges is unlikely, at least for a while, what with the South-West Monsoon and the North-East Monsoon playing truant.
The sources said that the Corporation would wait for the water supply situation to improve - this is possible only when the South-West Monsoon sets it by June 2013.
As and when the Corporation Council decides to collect the revised charges, it will increase the revenue and help the civic body service the loans it had obtained for implementing the Pilloor and other JNNURM schemes.
