The Krishnagiri District Residents Welfare Association has objected to the hike in water charges by the Hosur Corporation.
The Corporation has raised the minimum water tariff for residential connections to ₹125 per 6,000 litres, from the earlier rate of ₹40.
The hike ,announced in November, 2020, is being implemented after being put on hold owing to opposition. The slabs are: ₹125 per 6,000 litres, ₹150 for 6,000 ltr to 10,000 ltr, ₹200 from 10,000 ltr to 20,000 ltr and ₹250 for above 20,000 ltr.
For commercial connections, the hike is ₹500 per 10,000 ltr, ₹600 for 10,000 to 20,000 ltr, ₹700 for 20,000 ltr to 50,000 ltr, and ₹800 for above 50,000 ltr.
Responding to the Hosur All Residents Welfare Associations in a letter in May this year, the Corporation Commissioner had stated that the hike was in consonance with the rates in other major Corporations. The tariff was ₹40 since 1997 and the hike after 24 years was necessitated by the input costs for sinking of bore wells and exploration of water sources. Further, the Hogenakkal water distribution scheme cost was much higher for the Corporation that was purchasing water from the Tamil Water Supply And Drainage Board.
The association contested the letter by pointing out that the Coimbatore Corporation charged only ₹100 for up to 15,000 litres per month. It also said that the high rates fixed by the Hosur Corporation’s tariff was only in anticipation of future costs.
Further, with a majority of the households yet to have water meters, and being supplied water only once a week or 10 days, an assumed quantum of supply would be arbitrary, it said.
The association wanted the civic body to protect its water distribution assets, contain wastage through pipelines and check unregulated drawing of groundwater by private packaged water distribution units.
The association plans to collect 5,000 signatures in support of its demand for a rollback of the hike in tariff.
