Bengaluru water tariff hiked to up to 1 paisa per litre for domestic consumers

representational picture- AFP

Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has announced a revision in water tariffs — the first in 11 years. The official order will come into effect from April 10, and customers will see the revised rates reflected in their bills starting May.

The revised tariff structure varies across consumption slabs. For domestic use, the 0–8,000 litre slab will see a hike of 0.15 paise per litre, raising the rate from Rs 7 to Rs 8.50 per 1,000 litres. The 8,001–25,000 litre slab will go up by 0.30 paise per litre, with rates increasing from Rs 11 to Rs 14 per 1,000 litres. The 25,001–50,000 litre slab will be hiked by 0.80 paise per litre, and both the 50,001–1,00,000 and above 1,00,000 litre slabs will see a 1.00 paise per litre increase.

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In domestic high-rise buildings, the 0–2,00,000 litre slab will see an increase of 0.30 paise per litre, the 2,00,001–5,00,000 litre slab by 0.60 paise, and the 5,00,001–10,00,000 litre slab by 1.00 paise per litre.

For non-domestic or industrial use, the bulk supply slab will rise by 0.90 paise per litre. The 0–10,000 litre slab will see a 1.00 paise per litre increase, the 10,001–25,000 slab by 1.30 paise, and the 25,001–50,000 slab by 1.50 paise. The 50,001–75,000 slab will go up by 1.90 paise, the 76,001–1,00,000 slab by 1.10 paise, and consumption above 1,00,000 litres will be hiked by 1.20 paise per litre.

In addition, BWSSB has decided to implement an automatic 3 percent increase in water tariffs every year from April 1, following the recommendations of the Karnataka State Administrative Reforms Commission.

BWSSB chairman Ram Prasat Manohar said the revision was essential to ensure the board's financial sustainability without placing an undue burden on consumers. “Over the past decade, the city has expanded significantly in both area and population. Our operational expenses have surged — power costs have risen by 107 percent, and maintenance costs by 122.5 percent. However, tariffs have remained unchanged for more than ten years,” he said.

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Currently, BWSSB’s monthly expenditure stands at around Rs 200 crore, while it collects only Rs 120 crore in revenue from water charges. This Rs 80 crore monthly deficit made the revision unavoidable, officials said.

Manohar added that the revised tariffs aim not only to bridge the financial gap but also to promote water conservation and reuse. “Our goal is to provide high-quality services while managing rising costs. This is a modest, balanced hike that ensures affordability while encouraging responsible water usage,” he said.

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