Hi-tech water meters in buildings soon

HYDERABAD: Claiming that the Automated Meter Readers (AMR) installed on an experimental basis in industrial areas were a big success, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board is gearing up to install the same in residential localities as well as commercial complexes in the city soon.

"The Water Board installed 149 connections in the industrial area of Patancheru and en route villages from Sangareddy to Miyapur under O&M Division-VIII on an experimental basis last year and they fetched good results," said an official.

Now, similar meter readers are to be fixed in 1,200 multi-storied buildings including apartments and commercial complexes located in upmarket areas like Banjara Hills, Jubilee Hills, Punjagutta, Somajiguda, Sanjeevareddy Nagar (SR Nagar) and Erragadda to ensure accurate water reading with the help of the radio frequency method. "The tender process has already begun. We will fix AMRs by January/February, 2011," HMWS&SB executive director K Ashok Reddy told TOI.

Under the present system, a Water Board meter reader visits the house and notes down the reading. This system is not fool-proof as very often, the reading cannot be taken as the house is locked. Besides, instances of meter tampering and false reading have also been reported. "As a result, the board loses revenue, which is why we want to change the system,'' said the ED.

The AMRs are operated through the GSM (global positioning system) in place of mobile communications. The device will have a built-in electronic transmitter/receiver unit that will accurately transmit the water consumption data. The AMRs are mechanical devices but will have digital accuracy, Reddy added.

The cost of each AMR is between Rs 50,000 and Rs 1.8 lakh. The Water Board will bear all the expenditure and will not burden the customers. The urban development ministry has sanctioned Rs six crore for fixing the AMRs to multi-storied buildings. The board will extend the system to other divisions too, the ED said.