Hindustan Times 21.05.2010
Come July, you may have to pay more for the water you use.
Those living in cities will have to pay for using more than double the amount of water used in gram panchayat-ruled rural areas.
The Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority has listed guidelines for determining bulk water tariff for agricultural, domestic and industrial users to be applied by the Water Resources Department. The tariff will be revised from July 2010 and will be applicable until 2013.
People staying in smaller towns will pay only 90 per cent of the applicable rate. Cities consuming more water will pay almost 1.25 times the rate.
“People in rural areas use an average of 40 litres of water per person per day. Cities such as Pune use an astounding
180 litres while the average usage is 120 litres,” said Ajit Nimbalkar, ex-chief secretary and chairman of the authority. “It is only fair that like electricity you pay a higher rate when you use more and if you dirty it more without having enough pollution control and recycling measures.”
Mumbai uses 90 litres of water per person per day.
If the water in the limits of a municipal corporation limits is found to be polluted, the corporation will be penalised.
If municipal bodies treat sewage water to make it usable for irrigation or gardening, the rate will be slashed by 75 per cent of the applicable tariff.
All domestic bulk users, including civic corporations, councils, gram panchayats and small habitats pay the same rates depending on the source.
