Explainer | Tamil Nadu To Introduce Water Regulatory Authority, Mulls Bringing Water Act Into Force

Sources in the state government have informed that the process has been started and this is being formulated after the World Bank suggested reforms

Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government is in the process of setting up a Water Regulatory Authority (WRA), and contemplating a Water Act too. Sources in the state government have informed that the process has been started and this is being formulated after the World Bank suggested reforms.

These reforms, according to Water Authority department sources, are part of the Chennai City Partnership programme project which would be implemented between 2021-26. The project will be pre-funded by the Tamil Nadu government and reimbursed by the World Bank. The programme will support the enactment of a Water Act.

What is WRA?

According to the National Water Policy 2016, the role of Water Regulatory Authority comes into picture to regulate and manage the water usage to achieve sustainable management of groundwater levels that can balance the requirements of people in the state. In our country, only Maharashtra has functional water regulator since 2005.

Other states like Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Arunachal Pradesh have enacted statutes for setting up regualtories but they haven't been functional. Althought National Water Policy was made in 1987 and later was enhanced in 2002, the water regulation were not given much importance.

What does WRA aim for?

The scheme will support the Metro water in the implementation of bulk metering, the establishment of a baseline on non-revenue water, and create measures to reduce the non-revenue factors from the same. It will be instrumental in developing a phased increase in the number of water supply connections as also evolve in the quality and quantity of the service to be provided.

The project calls for the posting of two independent directors on the Metro water board for greater transparency and improved services as also for increased collection of service charges and improvements in tax systems. The WRA will have the necessary powers to coordinate water resource planning and management to improve water security.

What is Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act?

The Water Act will create the legislative basis for the regulatory authority and also for groundwater management. The Water Act, according to the water authority sources will be instrumental for the operationalisation of the regulatory authority and for an evolving system for reservoir management, optimization, and monitoring. The Act was enacted in the country in 1974 to provide prevention and control of polluting water and for maintainance of water purity. 

The Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, was last amended in 2003.  

(With inputs from agencies)