KOCHI: Transporters have increased their drinking water tariffs by a whopping 100% in Ernakulam. The revised tariffs will come into effect from Wednesday. As per the new tariff, they would charge Rs 1,000 for transporting 2,000 litres and Rs 1,800 for transporting 6,000 litres of water. The hike is expected to hit apartment residents, hotels, corporate firms and hospitals the most as it will directly affect their annual budget.
Ernakulam district drinking water transporters’ welfare association secretary R Ramachandran said shortage of drinking water, steep hike in fuel expenses, vehicle maintenance charges and spare parts and wages were the reasons for the increase.
“All the expenses have skyrocketed and we have not increased the tariffs for the past 11 years,” said Ramachandran, adding that some civic bodies, including Eloor and Choornikkara panchayats, slapped stop memos to suppliers asking them not to take water from wells near the Periyar river, which added to their woes.
From January 1, the transporters would charge Rs 2,500 for 12,000 litres. For 18,000 litres and above, the suppliers would charge Rs 190 for every kilolitre. Additionally, if the delivery point is over 12km from the water source, an extra Rs 50 per km will be charged. At least 450 tankers are supplying drinking water to apartments, restaurants, hotels, hospitals, hostels, corporate establishments, Coastguard, Indian Navy and even to the Collectorate in Ernakulam.
The tankers, with capacity ranging from 2,000, 6,000, 12,000, 18,000, 23,000, 25,000, 30,000 and 35,000 litres, undertake at least five trips a day. At present, the suppliers solely depend on the Kerala Water Authority and a few wells in the city’s outer limits to source water. The Kerala Hotel and Restaurant Association (KHRA) has demanded government intervention into the matter.
“We are already dealing with lots of issues like price hike in food essentials, electricity, waste disposal, and the like. A hike in drinking water will be double whammy for us. We demand immediate intervention from the government,” said KHRA state president G Jayapal.
As demand for drinking water rises amid supply shortages, residents’ associations in the city expressed discontent with the state government’s failure to regulate prices, deeming it a significant oversight. They also raised concerns about the unilateral increase in the cost of such a basic necessity, questioning how the decision could be taken without collective dialogue.