Chennai Metrowater has revised its tariff for domestic and partly commercial consumers in both core and added areas with effect from May. The long-discussed revision comes after nearly two decades. This move has met with mixed response from residents.
City residents would now have to pay nearly 60% more than the existing rates. In a move to reduce the gap between revenue and mounting expenditure, Metrowater decided to increase the charges. The rates, however, in some added areas such as Tiruvottiyur and Madhavaram, remain the same or relatively less as residents were already paying more, according to sources. The charges for domestic consumers would be hiked by 5% every year, and the increase would be 10% for commercial establishments.
Consumers in the city who were remitting ₹50 per month towards water and sewer charges would now have to pay a monthly charge of ₹80. This would work out to ₹480 for half-yearly payment. The tariff for those with metered connections too have been increased by 60%. For those using up to 10 kilolitre of water, the charges have been hiked to ₹4 from ₹2.50.
The charges are collected in September and March.
Marginally higher
According to Metrowater sources, the hike was inevitable as the water agency had a revenue deficit for almost a decade now. Rates have also been increased for commercial consumers in added areas. Residents in some of the added areas would be remitting a monthly charge up to ₹100, which is slightly higher than that what residents in the core parts of the city pay.
“Most of these areas are already paying up to ₹70 per month. If an uniform tariff system is worked out, it would be a steep hike for some merged areas like Nolambur, where only ₹25 is collected. The hike in added areas has been marginal,” said an official.
The charges being collected in added areas had been fixed by the erstwhile local bodies. While some residents noted that the hike was long pending, others said the new rates could have been implemented after considering residents’ views.
While V.Rajagopal, a resident of Anna Nagar West Extension, said the water agency must also ensure quality water, residents like S.Yuvaraj of Chetpet said Metrowater must improve infrastructure and provide proper supply before increasing rates.
Office-bearers of T.Nagar Residents’ Welfare Association demanded that the charges must be collected according to water supplied during the specific period. “We are spending money for purchasing tanker water to manage the deficit in Metrowater supply,” said V.S.Jayaraman, the association’s founding member.
Several residents of added areas like Ambattur and Porur demanded that the rates be reduced. S.Murugan, resident of Ramapuram said: “We are getting drinking water once in three days. The increase should have been limited to 20%.”
However, sources in Metrowater said the revision was implemented to reduce the mounting expenditure. The expenses include electricity, operation of desalination plants and employees wages, which account to nearly 50% of the total expenditure. The move would bring an additional revenue of ₹57.78 crore.
