CITY’S WATER KIOSKS MORE LIKE MIRAGE
Most ATWs don’t discharge water in right quantity, machines also reject `1 and `5 coins
Any Time Water (ATW) kiosks which are fixed at different locations in the city have failed to meet the purpose. ATWs, which are aimed at supplying 24/7 drinking water, are hit due to poor maintenance and lack of awareness.
Citizens claimed that most of the ATWs are untidy and the water is not fit for drinking. Citizens even claimed that ATWs are not discharging water as per the prescribed quantity and fail to detect `1 and ` 5 coins.
Surprisingly, neither the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board nor the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation is ready to shoulder the responsibility. Water Board officials said that their duty was only to provide water and GHMC officials blamed it on the private agency.
Natures Spring Eco Tap and Josab India entered into an agreement to provide safe drinking water to the city through ATWs.
They installed more than 100 water kiosks at public parks, hospitals, jails and other densely populated areas. Though the target was to install 250 ATWs by June 2017 the figure reached only 100.
Sharing his experience, Ramesh (name changed on request), a vendor on NTR Marg, said that neither the civic agencies nor the private agency has been taking care of ATWs. He said that the machines were not detecting `1 and `5 coins and not discharging the prescribed quantity of water.
Echoing concern, Abhinay Bhargav, a 24-year-old student, said that the ATW installed at Dilsukhnagar bus stop has been dysfunctional since weeks.
Water Board director (operations and maintenance) Suryanarayana said that the HMWSSB has been supplying water for all ATWs. He said that the project is yet to kick start and is waiting for the guidelines on supply of drinking water.
However, city mayor Bonthu Rammoham said that based on the viability, the water ATWs will be shifted to other locations. He also said that he had directed officials and the private agency to repair the ATWs.