With the e-abacus programme being installed at four major sub-divisions of the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) in Ernakulam, consumers will soon get a bi-monthly spot water bill.
The system has been introduced at Public Health division and Karuvelipady, Kaloor and Tripunithura sub-divisions from June 27.
The KWA is likely to inform consumers once all the formalities are completed. Soon consumers will be able to remit water charges online or through bank or other service agencies that will be notified.
An identity number will be issued along with the bill, which along with the consumer id will be required to remit the charges online. The system would bring in more transparency in KWA’s billing procedures, said superintending engineer T. G. Rajasekharan. Any leak would be detected and billed in the same bill instead of consumers getting an inflated bill in later months, he added. As part of introducing the new billing system, the Water Works subdivision at Kaloor will temporarily provide forms for new connections. Consumers who have received bills with ‘observation status’ need to remit usual charges as these connections will become part of the programme in two months.