MWRRA hikes bulk water tariffs

The Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority (MWRRA) has hiked bulk water tariffs for domestic consumption and agriculture by 17 per cent, and that for industries by 50 per cent, effective from February 1.
Announcing this at the state secretariat, MWRRA chairman K P Bakshi said the burden of hike will fall on industries in the main, and to some extent in municipal areas.
He attributed the hike to 63 per cent rise in the Wholesale Price Index (WSPI).
The MWRRA has raised bulk water tariffs at Rs 120 per cubic meter (1,000 litre), a 25 fold increase for the water consumed by industries producing mineral water, soft drinks, beer and for townships like Ambey Valley.

The impact of hike will not be greatly felt in civic bodies like Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) which have their own reservoirs.
The MWRRA has set the Litres Per Capita Per Day (LPCD) consumption of drinking water in municipal corporations such as Mumbai having a population of more than 50 lakh at 150 LPCD, Bakshi said.

To ensure water conservation, accountability of usage, and curb wastage, the MWRRA has made it mandatory for civic bodies to supply water to end-consumers through pipelines, he said.
"They will have to provide, on affidavit, their bulk water requirements for the year, the budgetary allocation for the year for water supply, its usage, conduct audit of water requirements and supply and upload the same on their websites," he said.

The authority has also made recycling of waste water mandatory for civic bodies.
The water tariff for farmers for khariff, rabbi and summer seasons has been pegged at 4.50 paise per cubic meter, 9 paise per cubic meter and 13.50 paise per cubic meter, respectively.
To encourage farmers to set up water users' societies, a concession of 25 per cent has been offered.
If the farmers use micro or drip irrigation systems, a 25 per cent concession in tariff rates is offered. If registered water users societies use drip irrigation systems, then a concession of 50 per cent is offered, Bakshi said.

The farmers lifting water from government lift irrigation schemes will now have to bear only 19 per cent of the water charges.
Taking note of rapid urbanisation, the MWRRA has raised the LPCD per head quota for Gram Panchayats and Nagar Panchayats at 55 LPCD and 70 LPCD, respectively, and for C,B and A category municipal councils at 70, 100 and 125 LPCD respectively.