BENGALURU: The nearly Rs 70 lakh electricity bill incurred every month by the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) to pump Cauvery water to Bengaluru for a 90-km distance from Thorekadanahalli reservoir is now set to touch over Rs 74 lakh. With no hike in water bills effected for the last nine years, the water board will be forced to hike its charges after consent from the new government.
A week ago, the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission announced an 8.31% increase in energy tariff (70 paise per unit) in the state for this financial year. BWSSB presently pays KPTCL and CESC (Mysuru) its energy bills.
A senior BWSSB official said, “We had sent a proposal to the state government six months ago. We will submit a fresh proposal to the new government. The recent hike announced by the electricity board shoots up our energy bills further. It will take us some time to work out the exact charges and give our report.”
Another official pointed out that the previous hike in water bill was effected on November 2, 2014. Unlike electricity bills hiked periodically, hike in water bills happen sporadically. “With this year being an election year, the government did not approve the hike proposed by us. We are hoping to get an approval for our new proposal after the government is in place,” he said.
These existing water rates for domestic consumers are up to 8,000 litres: Rs 7; up to 25,000 litres: Rs 11; up to 50,000 litres: Rs 26 and above 50,000 litres: Rs 45. For non-domestic purposes, the tariff is: up to 10,000 litres: Rs 50; up to 25,000 litres: Rs 57; up to 50,000 litres: Rs 65; up to 75,000 litres:Rs 76 and above 75,000 litres: Rs 87. The sanitary charges are 25% of the water bill for all categories, states its website. An attempt made by BWSSB to prepare a Water Tariff and Meter Policy in October 2017 which ensures automatic hike of water bills every three years was turned down by the then state government in March 2018.