New Delhi, December 30
Come January 1, each household with a functional meter in Delhi will get up to 667 litres of free water a day for domestic consumption. But, households consuming over this limit will have to pay for the water and other charges as per tarrif, enhanced by 10 per cent, effective January 1.

Fulfilling its election promise, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government on Monday made the announcement after a meeting of the Delhi Jal Board chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal at his residence here in Kausambi due to ill health.

"All domestic consumers with a metered connection will get up to 20 KL (20,000 litres) water free of cost every month from January 1. We will not even levy any existing charges such as water cess and sewerage charge," newly-appointed Delhi Jal Board CEO Vijay Kumar said.

He, however, said if the consumption limit crosses 20 KL, then the consumer will have to pay for the water and other charges. This, AAP leaders say, is in a bid to encourage water conservation.

The decision with which the newly sworn-in government hopes to meet one of its first pre-poll promises of supplying free water will provide big relief to lower-income groups. “A mechanism to provide 20 KL water to each household has been worked out and this is the plan for the first three months. The Delhi Jal Board will bear the expenses,” said AAP members emerging from the meeting. The party had announced that 700 litres free water will be supplied daily to each household if it comes to power.

In another significant decision, the Jal Board will continue to extend the benefit of the arrear rebate scheme waiver and 30 per cent rebate up to March 31, 2014.

However, residents of areas facing a water crisis such as Sangam Vihar, Deoli, Ambedkar Nagar, Mehrauli, Vasant Vihar and Vasant Kunj would have to wait some more. Work on laying underground pipelines and the crackdown on the prevailing tanker mafia in these areas would begin gradually. The tanker mafia poses a massive political challenge, as most tankers were allegedly run by BJP and Congress leaders.

Earlier, the Delhi Chief Minister did not attend office and chose to work from home. "Running 102 fever since yesterday. Severe loose motions. Sad that I won't be able to attend office today. It was so important to attend office today. God, you made me ill at the wrong time,” he tweeted in the morning.

(With PTI inputs)