After 11 years, BWSSB announces increase in water tariff

BWSSB increases water tariffs to balance rising costs, introducing slab-based charges for domestic and non-domestic users.

After a gap of 11 years, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has announced a revision in water tariffs. The increase, effective from the next billing cycle, will be formally notified on Thursday (April 10). The decision aims at balancing rising operational costs without placing a heavy burden on consumers, BWSSB Chairman Ram Prasath Manohar said on Wednesday (April 9).

Domestic users will now see incremental charges based on usage brackets, starting at 0.15 paisa per litre for up to 8,000 litres and peaking at one paisa for usage above one lakh litres. A similar slab-based system has been introduced for domestic-HR (high-rise) users, replacing the previous bulk charge format. Users in this category consuming up to 2 lakh litres will be charged 0.30 paisa, gradually scaling to 1 paisa per litres for higher brackets.

Non-domestic rates have also undergone a revision, beginning at 0.90 paisa per litre for industrial and bulk supply and ranging up to 1.90 paisa based on volume. Notably, partial non-domestic connections will now be assessed on a slab-wise, pro-rata basis, with a minimum 25% usage requirement for non-domestic classification.

Currently, BWSSB faces a monthly deficit of ₹70 crore, spending ₹200 crore while collecting only ₹130 crore in revenue. With electricity and maintenance costs rising by 107% and 122.5% respectively over the past decade, the tariff revision was deemed inevitable, Mr. Manohar said.

Water conservation expert S. Vishwanath has welcomed the BWSSB’s long-overdue decision to increase water tariffs, calling it a step in the right direction. However, he stressed the need for greater transparency from the board. He urged the BWSSB to publicly disclose its capital expenditure, operational and maintenance costs, and details of its sinking fund.

According to Mr. Vishwanath, such transparency would help citizens better understand the actual cost of the water they consume daily. He further emphasised that the BWSSB — and all water boards — should set tariffs that fully recover these costs.

In addition to water rates, sewerage charges have been raised by 25%, while sanitary charges for borewells and public sources have increased by ₹30 for domestic and ₹125 for non-domestic users. New special sanitary categories are also being introduced, signaling a broader overhaul of the utility billing framework.