CITIZEN

CITIZEN'S CHARTER

Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board.

Towards fully achieving the Policy decisions of the Board and making its functions transparent, accountable and citizen friendly, Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply & Sewerage Board brought out its citizen's charter with the approval of Government of Tamil Nadu vide G.O. Ms. No.58, Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department, dt.16.4.1998.

The Citizen's Charter aimed at the objective of

'clearly stating the standards of service delivery and developing

a completely transparent administration by taking the consumer

into confident'.

As the services of the Metrowater are in conformity with the declared standard, certain service standards are further revised and issued as "Citizen's Charter" third edition 2003.

MISSION STATEMENT

Our Mission is to enhance the health and quality of life for citizens in Chennai City by providing them adequate supply of clean and good quality of water and safe disposal of sewage/waste water at reasonable price.

In its endeavors to achieve the objectives indicated in the Mission Statement, Metrowater being customer driven will be guided by the following:

* Feedback from consumers;

* Delivering excellence in products and services;

* Doing business with ethics and integrity, and

* Continuous endeavor to improve quality of service.

Recent Development in Consumer Service:

Transparency in sanctioning and effecting of New Water/Sewer Connections

A comprehensive and holistic system has been introduced in sanctioning and effecting New Water/Sewer Connections. The new system includes:

(1) Simplified application form i.e.

(i) A Single sheet application.

(ii) Single application for both water/sewer connections,

renewal/shifting of existing water/sewer connections.

(iii) Remittance Challan available with the application form.

(iv) Only Seven particulars to be filled up.

(2) Free supply of Application form at Head office, all 10 Area

Offices and 160 Depot Offices.

(3) Self assessment of connection charges.

(4) Sanction without inspection of premises.

(5) Personal letter for intimation of Sanction of New Water/

Sewer connection from the Managing Director to the

Applicant.

(6) Intimation letters with sanction orders to the Applicants

through Courier within 7 days from the date of

registration.

(1) Mentioning of probable date of connection (i.e. within 30 days

from the date of registration) in the sanction order.

(2) Enclosure of prepaid reply post card for feed back from the

consumer on New Water/ Sewer connection.

(3) Display of list of sanctioned New Water/Sewer connection

at the entrance of the Head Office Building.

(10) Hosting of the list of sanctioned New Water/Sewer connection

in the website of the Board etc.

Reduction of time limit in Sanctioning and effecting of New Water/ Sewer

Connections

Our service standards in sanctioning and effecting New Water/Sewer Connections including renewal/shifting were further improved.

The maximum time limit of 15 days for issue of work order and 45 days to effect New connection for Premises of above 200 Sq.m. areas were reduced to 7 days and 30 days respectively and now the time limit for all the premises is 7 days for issue of Sanction order and 30 days to effect connection.

Creation of Information Counters at Head Office and all Ten Area Offices

We have opened Information and Facilitation Counters at the Head Office and all the ten Area offices to assist and guide the consumers for various services redressed by Metrowater.

The following application form and pamphlets are available in Information

and Facilitation Counters for free issue.

Application Forms:

(i) Application for New Water/Sewer connection.

(ii) Self explanatory application form for Water Tax & Water

Charges, Service Charges for New Assessment, Name

Changes, Address Changes, Annual Value Changes,

Classification Changes, Reconciliation of payments and

other services.

(iii) Application form for registration of contractors.

Pamphlets, Booklets, Stickers etc.

(i) Complaints, registration, redressal and monitoring

system.

(ii) Rain water Harvesting

(iii) Citizen's Charter

The services such as New Assessment of Water & Sewerage Tax, Name Changes, Address Changes etc. are done across the counters in Information & Facilitation Cells.

Open House Meetings

We conduct Open House Meetings in all Ten Area Offices and 161 Depot Offices to enable the public, Consumer Organisations, Flat Owners Associations, Consumer Action Groups etc. to meet the officers and also for sharing and contributing in the decision making by offering opinion/advice and suggestions for system improvement wherever necessary and also reducing their complaints. The Open House Meetings also enable the public and consumer organisation to know the adherence of Citizen's Charter by the Board.

Consumer Survey

With a view to obtain feed back at regular intervals from the consumers as to the level of services rendered and adherence of the Citizen's Charter, we have brought in a mechanism of a regular consumer survey by out sourcing a firm - M/s. Economic Perspectives. This agency has been entrusted with the job of conducting survey for a period of 3 years continuously on various service levels and submit a quarterly report to the Board covering not less than 4500 consumers every quarter. So far they have submitted Consumer Survey report for Six Quarters.

STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE

The Metrowater's perception of service quality is translated as standard specifications in the form of Citizen's Charter. The quality of our service with reference to the standards in Citizen's Charter published on 16^th April 1998 has also been inter alia subject to periodical review. Hence the revised standards.

SERVICE STANDARDS

A. WATER CONNECTION/SEWER CONNECTION

1. Free supply of Application Forms On working days during office hours

at Head Office, Area Offices and

Depot Offices.

2. Registration of Application Forms On working days

(acceptance of Application) only at 10.00 a.m. - 3.00 p.m.

Head Office.

3. Intimation to Applicant in case of Within 7 days from the date of

deficiency in Application Form. Registration.

5. Issue of Sanction Order Within 7 days from the date of

Registration.

6. Effecting House Service Within 30 days from the date of

Connections. Registration.

B. WATER SUPPLY Normal duration required (Days)

1. Replacement of defective Water 7

Meter.

2. Complaint regarding leakage in main

1) Service lines 3

2) Distribution main 5

3) Transmission main 7

3. Complaint regarding pollution

(Contaminated Water/Quality of Water)

1) Where pollution point is easily

identified 7

2) Otherwise 15

1. Attending No Water Supply/

Defective Water Supply 5

2. Attending repairs

1) Repairs to Hand pump 2

2) Repairs to India Mark-II pump 5

C.SEWERAGE Normal duration required(days)

1. Blockage of Sewer Line (Mains) 4

2. House Sewer Block 2

3. Sewage Overflow 4

4. Repair to damaged Sewer Line/

Renewal of Sewer Line 20

D.SPECIAL REQUEST

1. Supply of water on non-receipt of Supply of water through Water

piped water supply. Tanker within 4 hours of

complaint.

2. Supply of water through Water Immediately after payment of

Tankers for marriage and other charges.

functions.

3. Septic Tank Clearance 10 days from the date of

payment of charges.

E. WE ARE AT YOUR SERVICE

1. Head Office On all days 24 Hours

Phone 28454040 (3 lines)

2. Area Office 7.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m.

(Holidays) 8.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.

3. Depot Office 8.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.

YOUR GUIDE TO CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE, REDRESS AND

COMPENSATION

COMPLAINT RESOLUTION PROCESS

As part of improving our customer services we welcome your comments, suggestions, enquiries and inputs. On receipt of a complaint, we will investigate it, report back to the complainant and do all we can do to solve the problem and address the issue as efficiently and effectively as possible.

We take complaints as complimentary to an effective service delivery.

COMPLAINTS ABOUT WATER AND SEWERAGE

If a consumer has a service problem with water or sewage, he/she can at any time make a complaint in person or over phone round the clock to The Complaint Cell operating from the Metrowater Head Office on the telephone numbers 28454040 and 28454030.

He/She also has a choice of making the complaint at any of our 160 Depot offices or 10 Area Offices. Your complaint will be duly recorded and a number assigned immediately.

If the consumer chooses to go in person, an acknowledgement will be handed over to him/her.

He/She also can make the complaint through internet

(www.chennaimetrowater.tn.nic.in).

WHAT DO WE DO WHEN A COMPLAINT IS RECEIVED

If a consumer telephones to us, we try to assess the problem and offer appropriate solutions. Wherever that is not possible we will attempt to rectify the complaint in accordance with the time frame specified in the Charter. If he/she is not satisfied with the solution provided, he/she can contact the Chief Engineer (O&M)/ Executive Director/Managing Director on the following phone numbers:

CHIEF ENGINEER (O&M) - 28453002

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - 28454000

MANAGING DIRECTOR - 28459000

GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL MECHANISMS

AND E-GOVERNANCE

C.M.W.S.S. Board is constantly working towards the goal of providing adequate quantities of good quality water to 53.75 lakhs public in and around Chennai City and effective disposal of sewage generated in an operational area of 183.88 (176+7.88) sq.km.. To serve the expanding areas of service with limited resources, the Board make use of its men and machinery to effectively serve the Citizens and govern the administration efficiently by redressing their Grievance.

Various Grievance Redressal Mechanisms including transparency in providing services to the citizens are discussed below:

24 HOURS COMPLAINT CELL :

· Complaints are received at Head Office 24 Hours Complaints Cell and communicated over Cell phone to the A.E./J.E. of the respective Depot Offices.

· Computer terminals (Thin clients) have been provided for registration of complaints. Telephone Nos. 28454040 (3 lines) has been provided to the Complaint Cell which facilitate the consumers to lodge their complaints without any difficulty even one line is found engaged.

· Complaints are registered and immediately transferred to the Area Office / Depot Office concerned through Oracle to the concerned Deport Engineers / Deputy Area Engineers / Area Engineers and Senior Accounts Officers.

· Cell phone connection is provided with to inform the complaint to the Depot Engineer / S.A.O. Areas/Area Engineers / other Officers concerned immediately.

FUNCTIONS OF GRIEVANCE CELL:

· In addition to 24 hours Complaint Cell, a Grievance Cell functions at Head Office.

· All the petitions of complaints/ grievances on Operation and Maintenance (Water Supply & Sewerage), Tax & charges, Vigilance complaints, request of the Employees etc. are registered at Grievance Cell.

· The petitions received from the

· C.M.’s Special Cell, O/o.the Minister for Rural Development and Local Administration, O/o. the Mayor, MA&WS Dept. (Secretariat), O/o.M.D., Senior Officers of the Board, Tapal Section of the Board are also registered at Grievance Cell.

· The petitions received at Grievance Cell are immediately forwarded to the offier/ department concerned for redressal and to give reply to the complainant with a copy to Grievance Cell after redressal.

· Redressal of petitions are closely monitored by Grievance Cell and periodically reviewed by senior officers of the Board.

INTRODUCTION OF COMPLAINT MONITORING SYSTEM THROUGH ORACLE :

· For speedy redressal of complaints / grievance petitions, a latest computer system (Oracle 11i ERP Complaint Monitoring System) has been introduced in Metro Water.

· Computer terminals for all Depot offices (Division Offices), all Deputy Area Engineers, all Area Engineers, Grievance Cell and senior officers of the Board have been provided.

· The new complaint monitoring system facilitate the consumer to lodge their complaint at any one of the Depot Offices, Area Offices or Head Office.

· The complaint lodged will be communicated to the Depot Engineer/Senior Accounts Officer of the Area concerned immediately through Computer within a maximum time of 3 minutes in order to redress the complaint / petition immediately.

· The New complaint monitoring system is linked with the maximum time limit for redressal given in the Citizen Charter

· The new computer system of complaint monitoring facilitates escalation of complaint to the higher officers if not redressed within the time limit.

· All the senior officers can view the pending complaints for any locations and any period. This facilitate monitoring of speedy redressal of complaints / grievance petitions.

ON LINE COMPLAINTS

· Consumers can lodge their complaints on Operation and Maintenance, Tax and Charges and other grievances through the website of Chennai Metro Water chennaimetrowater.tn.nic.in.

· The complainant gets OLC No. (Online Complaint No.) as soon as a complaint is registered in the website of the Board.

· Complaints registered in our website are immediately transferred to the Officers concerned through e-mail and their redressal are monitored.

· Online complaints are attended immediately by the Officers concerned and replies of compliance are sent to the complainant through e-mail with a copy to Grievance Cell.

OPEN HOUSE MEETING :

· Public Grievances Redressal / Open House Meetings are conducted to on all 2^nd Saturdays in all Ten Area Offices between 10.00 A.M. and 1.00 P.M.

· Public, all Voluntary Organisations, Consumer Action Groups, Residents Associations & Representatives of all other concerned Interested Groups working in the Area are invited Through Press Release.

· Senior Officers of the Board are posted as presiding Officers for the Open House Meetings.

· Open House Meeting enable the participant public/ customers to meet the officers to represent their grivences

· Open House Meeting enable the participant public/ customers for sharing and contributing in the decision making by offering opinion/advice and suggestions for system improvement wherever necessary.

· Minutes for the Open House Meetings are prepared and redressal of petitions / complaints received in the Open House Meeting are monitored.

FUNCTIONS OF INFORMATION & FACILITATION COUNTERS :

· Information and Facilitation Counters function at Head Office and all ten Area Offices.

· These counters assist and guide the consumers to lodge their complaints / grievance petitions on water supply and sewerage, tax and charges, New water and sewer connections and other services rendered by Metro Water.

· The services such as New Assessment, Name Changes and Address Changes are effected across the Counter in Information & Facilitation Cell at Area Offices.

· The other services such as Annual Value Changes, Change of Classification, Cancellation of Wrong Demand, Excess Demand, Double Demand, etc., Reconciliation of Payments already made, Sub-division, etc. are made through B&C Section of Areas.

· Application forms for New Water and Sewer Connections, services on Tax and Charges, Registration of Contractors, etc. are issued at free of cost.

· Pamphlets such as :Complaints registration, redressal & monitoring System, Rain Water Harvesting, Citizen’s Charter, etc. are available at Information and Facilitation Counters for free issue .

RAINWATER HARVESTING

Rain water Harvesting is the activity of collecting rain water directly or recharging it into the ground.

The Rainwater Harvesting helps us

· To avoid water scarcity.

· To augment ground water storage.

· To avoid water table depletion.

· To improve ground water quality.

· To avoid sea water intrusion in coastal areas.

· To mitigate flood water during monsoon.

· To avoid formation of cracks in buildings in clay areas.

Methods of Rainwater Harvesting

Rainwater can be harvested in two ways.

· Collecting Rainwater directly in storage tanks / vessels for domestic use.

· Recharging the Rainwater into the ground to improve ground water storage.

Rainwater Harvesting in Huts

Rainwater falling on the roof of the hut is directly collected in vessels (Pots, buckets, etc.) for domestic use.

Rainwater harvesting through Sump and Open well

· Rainwater falling on the terrace is collected by pipeline and diverted to the sump through a filter chamber. Surplus water from the sump to be let into the open well.

· Minimum size of filter chamber is 2'x2'x2' and it is filled with pebbles / gravels in the bottom and coarse sand in the top and covered with a cement slab.

· Cost of the filter chamber Rs.1350/- cost of pipeline Rs.30/- per foot.

Rainwater Harvesting through Borewell

· A chamber has to be constructed around the borewell upto a depth of 5-8 feet using cement rings.

· Diameter of the cement rings should be 3 feet (Preferably)

· At the bottom of the chamber the casing pipe be made perforated and covered with a nylon mesh.

· The perforated portion should be filled with gravels/pebbles at the bottom and sand at the top.

Rainwater Harvesting through Recharge Wells in Multi-storeyed Buildings

· By connecting the rainwater pipes the rainwater has to be diverted to the existing openwell through a filter chamber.

· The rainwater falling on the open space has to be diverted to the recharge well by constructing channel / canal across the gate.

· By this method the ground water table would be improved.

Recharging Domestic Waste Water

· Rainwater may be harvested in tanks / sumps and openwells during rain.

· By diverting the used water from kitchen and bathrooms to the garden, ground water table can be improved.

· The terrace should be maintained clean for rainwater harvesting.

· The materials used for collecting rainwater should be cleaned properly.

· After draining the initial flow of dirty rainwater for a few minutes and good quality water has to be collected for use.

· For drinking purpose the collected water should be boiled.

· The tank / sump / vessels used for collecting rainwater has to be cleaned and covered properly.

· Proper disinfection should be done while storing rainwater. (5 gm of bleaching powder may be added to 1000 lit. of water).

As per recent Amendment to Ground Water Regulation Act 1987, it has been made mandatory to have Rainwater Harvesting Structures in all premises including the existing ones.

For details, guidance or assistance for Installation of Rainwater Harvesting Structure, please contact the Depot Office / Area Office concerned. You can also contact the Rainwater Harvesting Cell at Head office, No.1, Pumping Station Road, Chintadripet, Chennai - 600 002 in Phone No.28454080 (direct) and 28451300, Extn. No.295.

Harvest Rainwater

Conserve Ground Water

We are at your Service

1	Managing Director