1. What is meant by continuous 24x7 water supply?

Supply of water to all consumers in all wards and extensions of Mysore Municipal Corporation limits at the taps within their homes for 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.

2. What was the basis for concluding that continuous water supply is required?

The practice of supplying of water continuously with required pressure in the distribution net work is recognized as safe method and is accepted all over the world. As per Central Public Health Engineering and environment Organisation (CPHEEO) if the water is supplied under intermittent supply conditions there is possibilities of contamination of water when the pipes are empty and this will cause ill health of the public.

3. Is it proposed to privatize water supply?

No. This is merely a contract arrangement. JUSCO will not invest any amount from its own sources to develop water distribution infrastructure and it is not authorized to levy and charges to recover the investment. Hence this is not privatization.

4. What is the total contract price?

The total contract value is 161.90 Crores. The break up is as follows:
(a) Management fee :Rs. 25.42 Crores
(b) Rehabilitation of distribution network and customer service connection, providing new
connections, installation of bulk and customer meters, installation of booster pumps,
Commissioning of Comprehensive integrated information Management Information System etc. :Rs.119.78Crores
(c) Operation and maintenance of distribution system for 6 years : Rs. 16.20 Crores
(d) Provisional items : Rs. 0.50 Crores
Total :Rs.161.90 Crores.

5. What is the total contract period? What are the various phases and works involved?

Total contract period is 6 years. It is divided into 3 Phases.

• 1st Phase (One year) : Study of the existing distribution system including conducting detailed surveys, preparing a detailed and comprehensive rehabilitation plan and obtaining approval from the Water Board.
• II Phase (three years): During this period, rehabilitation plan as per approval indicated above will be implemented and the water supply will be converted to 24x7 in a phased manner.
• III Phase (two years): Managing 24x7 water.

6. What is meant by ‘performance targets’? What are these performance targets?

There are some important parameters which are stipulated to achieve the objective of implementing the works and specified targets are also imposed to measure the performance. They are:

• Conversion of all water connection to 24x7 continuous water supply.
• Improvement in collections of water charges
• To reduce the difference between the quantity of bulk water supplied and the quantities for which revenue is collected (to reduce Non-Revenue water)
• To respond to the complaint within 24 hours in the 24/7 continuous water supply zone.
• To reduce the leakages in the 24/7 continuous water supply zone to 20%.
• To maintain the qualities of water to 100% in the 24/7 continuous water supply zone.
• To maintain the minimum residual pressure of 7mtr at the consumer point in the 24x7 continuous water supply zone.

7. Will all the entire water distribution network of the City be replaced?

No. Only old, worn out and unsuitable pipe or pipes with unsuitable sizes as per new design shall be replaced.

8. Which pipes will be used for replacing the old worn out pipes in the distribution system?

Good quality HDPE (PE-100) pipes will be used for replacement.

9. Will all house service connections will be replaced?

Wherever house service connections are to be replaced, such replacement shall be done by the department and house service connections which are worn out shall be replaced.

10. What is the period of guarantee for the proposed new meters to be installed?

Newly installed meters will be guaranteed for performance for the contract period and also for a further period of one year i.e. upto December 2014. The Contractor shall be responsible for repair or replacement of defective and faulty meters.

11. Will there be water connection to all authorized/ approved houses?

Yes. All the authorized / approved houses will be provided with water supply connection with meter

12. Whether un-authorized connection will be disconnected? Or regularized?

Details of such un-authorized connections shall be submitted to the MCC and according to the decision communicated by MCC, the connections will either be regularized or disconnected.

13. Whether M/s JUSCO company is authorized to disconnect unauthorized connection or to regularize connection?

No. There is no power vested to M/s JUSCO company to take any administrative decisions. They have to take action as per the directions of Corporation or Water Board.

14. Whether all the existing public tap will be disconnected?

No. But except in areas where they are absolutely necessary, public taps in other areas shall be discontinued with the approval of MCC.

15. Will the connection charges for new connections be higher than the existing charges?

No. Existing practices shall continue to be as per policies. And the existing charges continue to apply. However, there will be quicker response and better customer service.

16. Will it be really possible to supply water 24x7?

By adopting modern water management practices and by reducing distribution losses, it will be possible to supply water on 24x7 basis.There are many proven instance for this.

17. Is continuous water supplies cost effective?

Continuous water distribution is the most cost effective way of distributing water, both for the ULB and the customers. If the ULB has to pump the same quantity of water in 4 hours rather than 24, it would require larger pipes. It also requires higher pumping and storage capacities. This results in higher pumping and electricity costs. If continuous water supply is not available, customers have to build their own storage. Some customers will go in for alternative supplies like bore wells. It is advantageous for them to have water all the time from taps than to store. They will also save the trouble of collecting water to odd hours, if ULB supplies water at such odd hours.

18. Is there sufficient water available to distribute water on 24x7 basis?

Yes. Sufficient water is available.

19. Will water supply service improve with this kind of contract?

Yes. The Contractor will be responsible under contract obligations, for delivering water under continuous supply conditions to all connected properties within the M.C.C.Zones. The Contractor will also have to comply with continuity. Reduction of losses in distribution system will make additional water available. These measures will result in significant improvement in service.

20. Will there be facilities for customers for redress of grievances?

Yes. There will be an arrangement to improve customer interface and grievance redressal mechanism. Measures will be put in place to ensure that customer grievances are handled timely and effectively. Under the contract, the Contractor is obliged to attend to the complaints in time bound manner.

21. Will the usage of water increase with introduction of continuous water supplies? What is the extent?

Preliminary studies show that usage of water will not go up on introduction of continuous water supplies. There are instances of countries practicing continuous water supplies even with 80 lpcd consumption, contrary to normal 135 lpcd adopted in designing water supply. Metered, continuous water supply brings in sense of conservation rather than of wastage in users.

22. What will be the effect on the poor households?

At present those households, who do not have individual connection (specially the poor), get lesser quantity of water. Large amount of time is wasted in collection of water. They also end up buying low quality water at high cost from private sources. The cost of  collection of water is high. Therefore, it is in principle  planned, to charge less from the poor households when compared to the normal charges. The exact rate of charges from poor household will be decided by the M.C.C., Mysore.

23. Will the poor get due attention in the proposed plan? Will they be left out?

Yes. It is proposed to provide individual house connection to poor households; there shall be no change in respect of connection or user charges. It will be done as per the directions of M.C.C.

24. Who will collect Tariff? Will the revenue be used for water supply purposes?

The tariff will be collected by the staff of M.C.C. under the supervision of JUSCO. All amounts collected on any day shall be promptly deposited into the bank account of MCC on the immediate next working day.

25. What are the benefits of this project to the public?

There would be increase in the quantity of water available for distribution to the public. Also, due to improved water quality, there will be improvements in the health of citizen as the incidence of water borne and water related diseases would come down. The customers need not store water and pump it to their storage tanks. Hence, there will not be any storage, pumping and maintenance costs, ultimately resulting in savings in storage construction, electricity charges for the customers.

26. Has continuous water supply (24x7) ever been successful anywhere?

Yes. Continuous 24x7 water supply in demonstration zones having 10,000 to 13,000 connections in Belgaum, one each in Hubli, Dharwad & Gulburga has been implemented successfully. The citizens have expressed satisfaction with the project. After the successful demonstration, plans are now under way to extend the 24x7 service to the entire Hubli-Dharward and government has already included this in the Stage Budget.

Published by Mysore City Corporation