With comfortable water level in Siruvani and Pilloor reservoirs, the Coimbatore Corporation has decided that it is time to bite the bullet as far revision in water charges in concerned.
The Corporation will table a subject before the Council for approval in this regard on Thursday, when an urgent meeting has been scheduled.
The subject says that as contemplated in Resolution 173 of December 29, 2009 the Council may grant approval for revising the monthly user charges and deposit, and adopting the revised bylaws, giving effect to the new tariff from October 1, 2013 and publishing the same in the district gazette.
According to sources in the Coimbatore Corporation, it is high time that the civic body revises the charges because the last time the Corporation revised charges was in July 2007, when the number of connections, number of households, the cost of ferrying water, etc were different from what they are now.
The sources say the civic body is forced to revise upwards the water charges also to meet — at least in part — the cost of projects like the 24X7 water supply scheme.
Calculation
A rough calculation the Corporation has done suggests that if the revised tariff is implemented, it will have an increased inflow of Rs. 2 crore a year from 2.50 lakh connections.
The sources say that there are a couple more reasons for the Corporation to revise the water charges: one, to meet its share (30 per cent) of the Rs. 113.74-crore dedicated Pilloor drinking water supply scheme and also additional expenditure incurred because of delays, and, two, to keep its commitment given to the Central Government while receiving funds for the aforementioned project under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.
When the Corporation first put forward the subject to the Council for approval on December 29, 2009, the then Council granted approval but with a caveat saying that the Corporation can implement the new charges once the dedicated Pilloor drinking water supply scheme was complete.
The then target was 2010. The Corporation could not stick to the deadline. It managed to complete the project only in January 2013.
As per the revised tariff (see graphic), the per litre price has also increased. In addition to the monthly minimum of Rs. 100 for 15,000 litres, households will have to pay Rs. 6 for every 1,000 litres up to 20,000 litres, Rs. 8 for every litre from 20,001 to 1,50,000 litre and Rs. 10 for every litre thereafter.
For domestic bulk connections (apartments, residential complexes), in addition to the monthly minimum of Rs. 900, the residents there will have to pay Rs. 5.25 for every litre up to a consumption of 7,500 litre, Rs. 6 for every litre from 7,501 to 10,000 litre, Rs. 8 for every litre from 10,001 to 1,50,000 and Rs. 11 for every litre thereafter.
