PANAJI
The Goa government has taken a stern stance against builders/ real estate developers who do not obtain a Water Availability Certificate (WAC) for their projects before completion, by imposing a stringent penalty of double the water charges for the initial 10-year period.
The notice issued by the Public Works Department (PWD) concedes that several builders/ developers have not obtained prior WAC before and/or during construction of their project; and are now seeking the release of water connection to their projects.
As a result of the absence of information, the department finds it difficult to provide water connections to such completed projects. “The priority is to ensure proper supply of drinking water to the existing consumers and to cater to existing water demand. It is advisable that the WAC for domestic and other purposes is obtained from the PWD by the developer at the commencement of the project so that no further permission/ approval would be required at a later date for the release of water connection for such projects,” it states.
The department therefore decided to adopt a set of guidelines including doubling the water tariff to defaulters. “Builders/ developers who have not obtained prior WAC from PWD for domestic and other purposes to their building/ projects and who are now seeking release of water connection for such projects or to any future projects taken up without obtaining prior Water Availability Certificate from PWD shall be bound to pay water charges at a special water tariff, that is, two times of the applicable water charges for both Domestic and Non Domestic connections for initial period of 10 years,” reads the notified order.
As per the guidelines, the entire cost of laying of pipelines/ network, etc shall also be borne by the builder/ developer.
For water supply to developed plots or complexes, the developer can lay pipelines subject to detailed estimates with specifications by the Assistant Engineer and technically sanctioned by the competent authority. Likewise, 15 per cent advance supervision charges and a separate 10 per cent for maintenance charges with the PWD have to be deposited. The guidelines also state that the work must be executed by a registered contractor, and the developer’s water supply infrastructure becomes government property for future maintenance.
