SCB serves notices on water defaulters

Threatens to attach properties if arrears not paid. SCB officials have maintained that in the past few months, they have managed to collect close to Rs.6 crore after legal notices were served to consumers.

In an attempt to collect water bill arrears, some of which have been pending for over a decade, the Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) has begun serving legal notices on big water bill defaulters. It comes with a warning that the properties of ‘chronic defaulters’ would be attached if the arrears were not cleared at the earliest.

With summer in full swing, SCB authorities maintained that water connections would be ‘cut-off’ if residents continued to avoid paying bill arrears. As of now, they said, water bills pending since 2000 stood at around Rs.40 crore. Incidentally, the SCB itself owes the Water Board (HMWSSB) nearly Rs.35 crore in water dues.

Past success

SCB officials have maintained that in the past few months, they have managed to collect close to Rs.6 crore after legal notices were served to consumers.

“Each water connection has been given a Unique Consumer Number (UCN) to make it easy for us to track bill payment of the households. Typically, single-apartment complexes and slum settlements have to pay anywhere from Rs.20 lakh to Rs.30 lakh to us. There is a lot of political interference, which makes bill collection difficult,” they claimed.

Under the SCB, there are close to 4.8 lakh connections with a daily drinking water consumption of nearly 53 lakh gallons, supplied by the HMWSSB.

Apart from taps, there are close to 900 submersible borewells that also take care of the drinking water needs of SCB residents. In addition, there are 15 (three owned and 12 hired) water tankers working overtime to supply water to residents.

SCB officials said they hope the legal notices would do the trick.

“Through these measures, we are aiming to collect close to Rs.10 crore of water arrears. We also request consumers to volunteer and clear the bills,” officials added.

graphic matter

WATERED DOWN

* Rs.40 crore -worth of water bills pending since 2000

* Rs.6 crore realised after notices were served to defaulters

* Rs.10 crore is what SCB hopes to collect through the move

* Rs.35 crore in water dues is that SCB owes the HMWSSB

QUOTE: Typically, single-apartment complexes and slum settlements have to pay anywhere from Rs.20 lakh to Rs.30 lakh to us. There is a lot of political interference, which makes bill collection difficult SCB official

SCB reservoir

*4.8 lakh tap connections

*900 submersible borewells

*15 water tankers

*53 lakh gallons supplied