KMC has to fit water meters in 2.26 lakh houses. But there’s no reason to panic yet. The corporation will take another three years to modify the existing water service rate.

“The tax will be implemented once the water meters are fitted in all households. In the coming three years, we will charge the consumers for the existing services,” said Mayor Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya.

On the installation of meters, a senior engineer of the water supply department, said: “Ideally, it is the responsibility of the water supply department to install water meters. But the mayor has asked the kolkata Environmental Improvement Project to take care of the installation.”

“We have been dealing with the issue for quite a long time. But now we have been asked to keep our hands out of it,” he added.

“The present water service rate is Rs 250 for a ferrule size of 25 mm,” said Bibhas Maity, Chief Engineer of the Water Supply Department.

An eleven-member team from KMC visited Karnataka last year to inspect the functioning of the water meters in the three municipalities there.

After its return, water meters were supposed to be installed in households in the city this year.