IrikkurGramaPanchayath is one of the smallest GramaPanchayath in Kannur District, 30 KM east of district head quarterbordered by ValapattanamRiver and in the downstream of Pazhassi Irrigation Dam.  The GramaPanchayath have an area of 11.38 sq.km having 13 Wardsand 3012 households.The soil condition of area is lateritic and high water scarcity in summer seasons. The GramaPanchayath was selected under Jalanidhi – II during the year 2012. During the initial period of Jalanidhi Project implementation the proposal was for individual small water supply schemes of 26 numbers.  When taking the total estimated amount for these 26 schemes, GP has informed about its difficulty to take 15 % share as they have limited yearly plan fund and very low own fund. On discussion with KRWSA, a different plan opted out, that is bulk water purchase from JICCA Project, a multi GP water supply project of Kerala Water Authority.The source of the water supply scheme is in Pazhassi Irrigation Dam and the treatment plant of the KWA existing scheme situates in Irikkur GP. 

 

Irikkur GP is the pioneer project in the sector of bulk water projects in Kerala.  For the implementation of bulk water supply, KRWSA and KWA signed an MOU for supplying water to Jalanidhi projects in Irikkur GP.  KWA has agreed to supply 6 lacs litres of water per day.The implementation of distribution system in the GP was done by the beneficiary committee (SLEC).After the implementation of Jalanidhi project,GramaPanchayathhas executed an agreement with KWA for bulk purchase of water and condition for payment. At the same time the GramaPanchayathhas also executed an agreement with beneficiary committee (SLEC) for billing and collection of water tariff from consumers and operation and maintenance of distribution network by the SLEC.

 

The implementation work of bulk water supply scheme was completed on December 2015 and provided house connections to 1677 households having a pipe line network of 105 km.  The total project cost was 5.65 crores.  After the trials, the scheme was officially commissioned on January 2016.  The operation and maintenance of the scheme is being carried out by a team of committed leaders of nine member Beneficiary Committee (SLEC).  There are 28 BGs in the GP for the scheme. From each BG two members were selected to form an apex body, named Scheme Level Committee (SLC). From this SLC, an executive committee will be formed for the execution of the scheme as well as for the O&M. This body is named as Scheme Level Executive Committee (SLEC). For the O&M of the scheme, SLEC has placed a staff team and the routine work/management is being carrying out by a team of 7 staff members under the leadership of Scheme Manager.  The staff members consists of 1 Scheme Manager, 1 Accountant, 1 Pump cum Valve Operator, 1 Plumber and 3 Meter Readers. From January 2016, the scheme has successfully completed more than three years of commendable service.  At present they are providing water supply to 2006 households (66.6% of the total HH in the GP).  The GramaPanchayath is planning to achieve 100% piped water supply coverage in the GP within next one year period, i.e., before December 2020. 

Technical details of Bulk water supply scheme

The hurdles faced by SLEC and GP during the execution of bulk water project and the strategies/steps taken to overcome the hurdles can be briefed as:

1) Signing of MOU between KWA&KRWSA– The MOU has to be signed by MD, KWA and ED, KRWSA. As a new concept to KWA was reluctant to sign but after many discussions KWA agreed. 

2) Finalisation of bulk water tariff - The tariff rate of Rs.6/- per kilolitre for bulk water purchase by KWA to Jalanidhi programme was not acceptable by GP as normally KWA charged Rs.4/- per kilolitre – Later by calculating the O&M charges of beneficiaries and cost benefit ratio, the GP agreed to sign the agreement.

3)Finalisation of A4 (between KWA and GP)&A5 (Between GP and SLEC)Agreements – GP was not satisfied with some clauses in the agreement. Later on several discussions GP agreed to sign. 

4) Identification of a contractor through E-tender–Through e-tender initially nobody submitted the tenders and delayed for about 6 months to get a tender through this process. 

5) Public protest against the cutting of narrow road for laying of distribution network – As a thickly populated village area and initially it was very difficult to lay the pipes. After several beneficiary meetings protest ended. 

6) Delay in getting road cutting permission from PWD – A state highway with macadam tarring was there in the GP area and it took too much time to get PWD sanction for laying the pipe through this road. 

When considering the Phase I and Phase II project interventions, in Irikkur GP it was the first time the bulk water purchase model adopted. The cooperation of GP and active leadership of SLEC helped a lot to experiment this bulk water purchase through Jalanidhi programme. In brief we may discuss few factors that facilitated to make this a success story and a sustainable scheme. The following positive factors shows the difference with other Jalanidhi schemes whether it is a small or large scheme. 

1. Source sustainability –The source is a perennial one at the downstream of Pazhassi Irrigation Dam. When considering a large water supply scheme, usually it is very difficult to find out a perennial source. Luckily, Irikkur GP is blessed with the flow of Valapattanam River and a good source was there with KWA. Obviously this factor benefitted in achieving more coverage and in raising 10 % BG contribution. The GPs active involvement for this project was due to this factor that this scheme will be a sustainable one, if implemented and of course on the other side, the political mileage they are getting due to the implementation of the scheme with good coverage of households. 

2. Water quality ensured –As KWA is handling the main component of source and treatment plant with their strong institutional capacity and technical expertise, it was able to ensure the quality of water when comparing with the large water supply schemes in other areas. 

3. Ensuring sufficient quantity of water supply to the households –This is indirectly related to the perennial nature of source. When comparing with other large schemes, it is able to provide 24 x 7 water supply through this scheme. In Irikkur BWSS now there is regular water supply on day time. In all other schemes the water supply is limited to only few hours per day. KWA is also providing adequate quality of water for the scheme, ie. 6 lacs litres of water per day. 

4. Water Tariff - As the water tariff is based on the Govt. decision that bulk water purchase charge of KWA, people are ready to pay the rate fixed by the SLEC and GP. At present the water charge for 10000 litres is Rs. 110/- per month, where in some other schemes water charge is higher than this because the charge is based on full O&M cost. In this bulk water scheme only distribution of water and maintenance of distribution system is the responsibility of the beneficiary committee, ie, SLEC. It is observed that there is very minimum defaulters in remitting the monthly water charge.

Sl No	Sllab	Amount
1	10 kl.ltrs	Rs. 110/-
2	10-20 kl ltrs	Rs. 20/- ( Additional 1 kl)
3	20-30 kl ltrs	Rs.50/- ( Additional 1 kl)
4	Above 30 kl ltrs	Rs.100/-  ( Additional 1 kl)

Details of average consumption pattern of beneficiary households

Sl No	Consumption pattern (in ltrs)	Users (HH)
1	1-10000Â	1349
2	1-10000Â	469
3	20001-30000	128
4	Above 30001	60
Â	Total	2006

5. Convenience in O & M of the scheme – As the community managed committee has to take care of the distribution network only, it is easier for the beneficiary committee to maintain the scheme component and for water tariff collection. As there was more number of beneficiaries in the scheme, there is no matter of loss in O&M collection. There is a well-defined O&M byelaw for the scheme which is taking care of by SLEC as an institutional set up of the scheme. Also the possibility of adding more number of beneficiaries, the capital gain to the beneficiary committee keeps increasing. KWA is providing adequate quantity of water to the Irikkur scheme and in reverse SLEC is remitting bulk water charge to KWA based on the quantity water supplied. After completing 3 years and 10 months of O&M period there is no payment dews to KWA from the part of SLEC.

With the positive factors in hand for running a sustainable water supply scheme, the SLEC plans to take care of the following activities in future: 

1) SLEC and GP plans for 100% coverage of piped water supply scheme –Due to the perennial nature of the water source for the scheme, this is possible. 

2) Computerisation of O&M management – The SLEC is planning to purchase a billing software and make the office procedures with computer based management. This would help the SLEC to get a clear monthly basis picture on water charge collection, other revenue such as new connection charge, no. of defaulters, monthly expenditure and monthly average expenditure in a year, complaint rectification system etc.

3) Construction of new office building – At present the Office of SLEC is being taking place in a temporary building provided by the GP. The SELC at present have adequate capital to construct a building. Land will be provided by the GP. 

4) Procurement of service van for service maintenance –With the present system for complaint rectification there seems to be gaps in rectifying the complaints. To cover this difficulty SLEC plans to purchase a van so as to speed up the rectification system. 

5) Plan to reduce transmission loss of water–During the initial stage, there was 25-30 % of transmission loss of water within the distribution network. Now it is reduced to 10- 15 %. With the changes in the functioning of office system and complaint rectification system it is again possible to reduce the transmission loss. 

6) Plan for reduce the number of monthly  tariff defaulters -  By taking serious steps in revenue collection and computerised billing system the SLEC can do monthly revenue management more effectively.