Hi-tech reforms in BWSSB pipeline

BANGALORE: The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) -- often the target of public ire -- will soon be deploying a host of hi-tech inventions to meet the rising expectations of its consumers.
As a first step, the Board will be computer networking all of its 56 city service centres, enabling its 3.70 lakh consumers to pay their bills at any of these centres, irrespective of where they stay.
Soon, the Board''s 227 meter readers are to be equipped with hand-held computers to generate instant bills for consumers. ``Since the rate of obsolescence is extremely high in hand-held devices, we will be outsourcing the project to an external agency. Ours will be the first Water Board in the entire country to do this and bring down billing errors to zero. Our Technical Advisory Panel is deliberating on the modalities,'''' says M.N. Vidyashankar, chairman, BWSSB.
To gain consumer feedback, the Board commissioned these hand-held computers in the V.V. Puram sub-division for six months. Surprisingly, the exercise turned out to be extremely unpopular: consumers were irritated with the miniscule sized bills printed on thermal paper, which faded after two months. Chastened by the experiment, the BWSSB has now taken measures to increase the width of the bill and improve the texture of the paper.
Significantly, the Board''s determination to embark on the path of reform has only been hardened by a consumer survey conducted by Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide at the behest of the Japan Bank of International Cooperation (JBIC). The Bank is financing around Rs 11,000 crore for BWSSB''s ongoing schemes, to be made available by March 2004. The BWSSB is also angling for a whopping Rs 400 crore dole from the Bank to plug distribution losses and reduce the quantum of ``unaccounted for water''''.
``The survey did reveal some perception gaps between BWSSB and the general public, regarding the reform initiative. The resentment among consumers on the recent water tariff hike, which the survey indicated, was completely uncalled for. They felt the hike was not linked to better services. Consumers should realise that a general tariff revision has not happened since July 1995,'''' says Vidyashankar.
Notably, the BWSSB has received Cabinet permission to annually increase its tariff provided it is matched by enhanced performance levels. In this era of strident consumer activism, will the BWSSB be able to pull it off?
Did you know?
* Bangalore was among the first cities in the entire country to get piped water supply from Hesarghatta reservoir way back in 1896.
* Nearly 90 per cent of Bangalore''s water supply is tapped from the Cauvery.
* In contrast to the sanctioned strength of 3,800 people, the lean and mean BWSSB is working with a strength of just 2,800 people.
* The BWSSB''s 3.70 lakh consumer base is increasing at a rate of 15,000-20,000 every year.