To curb billing issues, DJB to turn water meters into ‘smart’ ones
As per DJB vice-chairman Somnath Bharti, “a GIS-based route plan will be generated for meter readers through an application.
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DJB said this will help deal with inaccurate water bills. Archive The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) is set to turn existing water meters into ‘smart’ meters. These will be connected to GIS (Geographic Information System), and equipped with unique QR codes, in a bid to address issues related to incorrect billing.
As per DJB vice-chairman Somnath Bharti, “a GIS-based route plan will be generated for meter readers through an application.” Through the plan, whether a meter reader has visited designated households along the route, can be tracked. Meter readers will also be required to take and upload a GIS-tagged photograph of the meter reading onto the system. According to Bharti, this is a way to deal with complaints regarding inaccurate water bills.
A QR code is set to be attached to each water meter, serving as a unique identification that is expected to help meter readers identify the correct water meter corresponding to each house or office in places where there may be multiple meters, like in residential complexes or societies, according to a communication from the DJB. By scanning the QR code, consumers are also likely to be able to access information about their connection.
Artificial intelligence (AI) tools are also being incorporated into the billing system to help catch inaccuracies in billing, according to the DJB. “Through the implementation of AI tools, the system will be capable of detecting billing inaccuracies in real-time. If any irregularities are detected in the meter reading, an alert will be sent to the meter reader via the AI-powered system,” the DJB said in its communication.
Hoping to deal with complaints faster, the DJB is also centralising its grievance management system to integrate complaints registered through different platforms like the helpline number and social media, and upgrading its existing mSeva mobile app.
A chatbot facility will be introduced for consumers to be able to access information on bills, new connections, and complaints.
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