High & Dry

More than water, apartments are flowing in Jaipur. The concrete edifices are capturing the skyline in parts of the city, where water line is non existent. Regular supply of the very basic need to survive – drinking water – is still a far cry. Around 20% population which lives in these high rises have to lower down their ‘guards’ just to quench their thirst. And surprisingly no one is complaining. Residents are happy getting their ‘supply’ through non reliable exorbitant tankers, builders indifferent to providing basic facilities after ‘shedding’ their ‘inventory’ and the state government not bothered at all above fulfiling its promise to supply Bisalpur water.

Non cognitive of the water quality, tankers simply ferry several rounds to these apartments, empty the ‘blue gold’ and leave residents grapple with the high Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) content in water, which can damage kidney and cause bone deformities on prolonged use.

The state government had announced PHED connections for apartments long back. But it still seems a distant dream with water infrastructure not picking up over last few years. More than water lines, protests and agitations for water surface frequently. And every time its intensity goes up with rising mercury.

Tankers tank Apartments

Daily hundreds of tankers line up at residential housing societies. These tankers extract ground water from deep boring, increasing suspicion of contaminated water or more often inflicted with Flouride – highly injurious to bones. The residents of multi-storied buildings are then left with no other choice than to use Reverse Osmosis (RO) machine for purifying the water. Use of RO means wastage of water and loss of vital salts.

“Water scarcity is the rule of the day. Use of RO machines make it more acute. We have no choice. If we don’t use RO, we may suffer from water borne diseases,” said Ram Kishan Verma, resident of a private society.     

In last few years, a new concept of housing was seen in the city with large bunglaows making way for multi-storey building on the same plot.

While it solved the problem of housing, it made way for another problem of providing water. The plot, which was once for a family of 4, now holds 6-7 families residing with the same infrastructure of water pipelines, which was installed by PHED several years back. as already included cost of PHED water connection in its offer saying that when the pipeline will come, they will get the connection.

PHED Policy

The problem is not new but there doesn't seem to be any clear solution still in sight.

In 2016, PHED issued a policy for water connection for multi- storied building in Jaipur city urban area.

This policy was aimed to give water connections to these residents either from Bisalpur or other sources of PHED. The policy says that owner/developer/RWA shall deposit Rs 42 per square feet as one time charge of the total built up area.

As per the policy, domestic water demand shall be calculated based on the total built up area. Five persons per flat having built up area upto 2,000 square feet and 7 persons per flat above 2,000 square feet built up area shall be considered at 135 litres per capita per day for calculating water demand. Several builders are said to be misusing this policy to their benefits. “When someone approaches them to buy a flat, builders assure them PHED connections. But before providing the facility they hand it over to the residents leaving them in ‘deep waters,’’ said Sher Singh, resident of a private building.

One of the projects in Jaipur has already included cost of PHED water connection in its offer saying that when the pipeline will come, they will get the connection Lukewarm response from Builder fraternity However, builders have shown lukewarm response to the policy. They feel that while the rate is high, the onus is on the Resident Welfare Association (RWA) of respective buildings to get connections.

“Charges are high and they are asking one time payment which is big. They should divide the charges in instalments,” said Ashok Agarwal President of Township Devleopment Association of Rajasthan (TODAR).

PHED officials informed that one of the main conditions for getting water connection for an apartment is that the building should have sewerage treatment plant (STP). Many buildings do not have even space for installing STPs.