Bengaluru:

To meet its growing expenditure, the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has planned to revise the water tariffs, Chairman Ram Prasath Manohar announced on Wednesday.

He added that an official order with new rates will be issued on April 10.

Manohar, while addressing the media from the BWSSB headquarters, said that there has been a rapid growth of population and geographic spread in the city over the past decade.

BWSSB is an autonomous body which functions without government subsidies, and water charges are its primary sources of revenue, he said.

Proposed tariff hike for high-rise domestic buildings (per litre):

Up to 2,00,000 litres: Increase of Rs 0.30
2,00,001 to 5,00,000 litres: Increase of Rs 0.60
Above 5,00,001 litres: Increase of Rs 1.00

Proposed tariff for non-domestic usage (per litre)

Bulk Usage: Flat hike of Rs 0.90
Up to 10,000 litres: Increase of Rs 1.00
10,001 to 25,000 litres: Increase of Rs 1.30
25,001 to 50,000 litres: Increase of Rs 1.50
50,001 to 75,000 litres: Increase of Rs 1.90
75,001 to 1,00,000 litres: Increase of Rs 1.10
Above 1,00,000 litres: Increase of Rs 1.20

Manohar also said that BWSSB has decided to adopt an annual 3 per cent hike in water tariff every year from April 1, following the recommendations of the Karnataka State Administrative Reforms Commission. From May onwards the revised tariffs will be reflected in the water bills.

Proposed domestic tariff hike (per litre):

Up to 8,000 litres: Increase of Rs 0.15
8,001 to 25,000 litres: Increase of Rs 0.30
25,001 to 50,000 litres: Increase of Rs 0.80
Above 50,001 litres: Increase of Rs 1.00

Over the past 10 years, electricity costs have risen by 107 per cent, while maintenance expenses have increased by 122.5 per cent,” he added as reported by PTI.

The chairman explained that even though the body spends Rs 200 crore monthly, it is able to collect only Rs 120 crore, generating a monthly deficit of Rs 80 crore. “We have proposed a rational and modest tariff to bridge this financial gap and improve the delivery service,” Manohar said.

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