‘Will decide on hiking water rates after review’: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar
In 2014, the BWSSB had revised tariffs to Rs 7/kilolitre (kl) in the minimum slab and to Rs 45/kl in the highest slab for domestic consumers.
3 min read
The reason for reviewing the water tariff is also seen in view of the upcoming drinking water projects to cater to the needs of Bengaluru. (File Photo)Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday said that the water rates in Bengaluru will be revised after a thorough review with the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) officials. According to Shivakumar, the move comes after international financing institutions like World Bank have expressed concerns over the functioning of the board and have directed it to explore options to reach a breakeven point.
“Water rates in Bengaluru have not been revised in the past ten years. As a result, the water board has incurred significant losses. No banks are willing to provide financial assistance to the BWSSB. The Cauvery Stage V project is nearing completion soon. Since we are facing losses every year, we are exploring possible solutions,” he said.
He added, “All institutions, including the World Bank, are asking how the board will recover from its losses. I have ordered the use of 6 TMC of Cauvery water for Bengaluru, and another phase of the project is necessary. Therefore, officials have been instructed to conduct a review regarding the water rate revision. An official decision on the rate hike will be made after the feasibility study by the officials.”
In 2014, the BWSSB had revised tariffs to Rs 7/kilolitre (kl) in the minimum slab and to Rs 45/kl in the highest slab for domestic consumers. The rates were Rs 6/kl and Rs 36/kl, respectively, before.
For non-domestic consumers, the revised tariffs are Rs 50/kl in the minimum slab and Rs 87/kl in the maximum slab. They were Rs 36/kl and Rs 60/kl, respectively, before. The fixed minimum charges for domestic consumers is currently Rs 56. For non-domestic consumers, the fixed minimum charge is Rs 500.
The reason for reviewing the water tariff is also seen in view of the upcoming drinking water projects to cater to the needs of Bengaluru. Currently, the BWSSB supplies 1,450 MLD of water to the core area and eight urban local bodies, covering an area of 575 sq km. To address the water supply needs of 110 villages spanning 225 sq km, the Cauvery Stage V project is underway.
This project also involves the construction of a Water Treatment Plant (WTP) with a capacity of 775 MLD and is scheduled for completion by 2024. The Cauvery Stage V project cost is estimated at Rs 5,500 crore with a loan from Japan Infrastructure Cooperation Agency (JICA). The project aims to provide 110 litre of water daily to 12 lakh people.
You May Like
Photos
