Access to water connections made easier

New regulations issued by Shanghai Water Authority have simplified procedures for applying for water supply and drainage.

Only 11 industries including construction firms, restaurants, hospitals, heavy industries and livestock farms still have to apply for water permission as their waste water are a threat to the water treatment plants.

Others like property management companies which want to connect waste water pipes to the municipal pipeline are exempted and no longer need to apply for drainage permission.

Instead, the authority will do on-site assessment to evaluate the property.

Companies and properties will now get water within 20 days after applying for it. 

Previously, it would take up to two months.

The processing time for drainage permission has also been reduced to 10 days from previous 60 working days.

Early yesterday, Cao Yucai from Shanghai Jihua Logistic Group visited the registration office of Shanghai SMI Water on Changping Road in Jing’an District to apply for water supply for a property on Yejiazhai Road in Putuo District.

Cao had filed the application online on April 27.

“It used to take at least three months before we could get water,” Cao, who has prior experience of applying for water supply, said. “But now I expect it to be sorted out much earlier.”

Cao is applying for water for a property that used to be a warehouse. Jihua Logistic Group plans to convert the warehouse into an office, which needs bulkier pipes as the water demand in an office is higher than a warehouse. 

“The water company has decided to use a 75-millimeter pipe to replace the old 40mm pipe,” Cao said. 

Cao said if water supply is made available earlier than usual he can rent out the place earlier too.

“The rent of the property is 1.5 million yuan (US$240,000) a month,” said Cao. “I can now rent the place out sooner.”

Chen Zhongmin from Shanghai SMI Water said most of the applications they receive are for connecting the property’s pipeline to the city’s water system.

The big data system with information provided by various government departments are making the task easier.

Earlier, they had to dig out information about the property and the pipeline in the neighborhood after receiving an application.

“Instead of answering an applicant’s questions or correcting their applications, we are now more proactive that saves a lot of time,” said Rong Shuhua from Shanghai Water Authority.

Chen Qi, the manager of Rongxin Greenland International in Minhang District, was applying for drainage for the commercial property.

He was expecting a longer wait from his past experience but the waste water pipeline was connected to the municipal pipeline system yesterday afternoon.

Chen had applied for drainage last week. He said the pipeline will save him considerable money as he can reach out to businesses sooner.

Xu Lingchao / SHINE