After nearly five years, Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) is set to revise the water tariff. The BWSSB board is expected to pass a proposal in this regard at its next meeting.
Tushar Girinath, Chairman, BWSSB, said the draft revised tariff — which has calculated the rise needed to offset the losses in pumping to due to higher electricity and utility charges — had been received. “We are still reviewing the calculations and no fare hike has been fixed. The report will be presented at the next board meeting after which the proposal will be forwarded to the State government,” he said. As the Lok Sabha election results are to be announced on May 23, the date of the next board meeting is yet to be decided.
In 2014-end, the BWSSB had raised the tariff by 20%, which was the first such hike since 2005. Since then, costs of power as well as maintenance of new sewage treatment plants had been increased. With tariff revision being subject to political compulsions, the BWSSB had in a draft last year sought to revise tariffs every three years. The draft was rejected by the government.
Similarly, officials said it was “impractical” to seek a yearly revision of tariff like in the power sector.
Mr. Girinath denied reports claiming that the water fare hike had been fixed at 15%.
