The Hindu 20.11.2013
Cabinet may take up water tariff revision
The Cabinet meeting on Wednesday is likely to take up a proposal of the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) to revise the water tariff.
Sources hint at approval for only a moderate, across-the-board increase, not on the scale proposed by the authority.
The utility submitted the proposal before the Cabinet in October, seeking approval for revision of water charges for domestic and other consumers in the State. The tariff for domestic consumers was last revised in 1999 and others in 2008.
The KWA has sought permission to increase the tariff by 15 per cent every year to become financially sustainable within the next five to seven years.
The proposal called for a 100 per cent increase in the tariffs. For domestic consumers in the 0-5 and 5-10 kilolitre consumption categories, at present charged a minimum of Rs. 20 and Rs. 4 a kl thereafter, the proposal is to revise the rate to Rs. 40 and Rs. 8, respectively.
For those in the 10-20-kl category, the proposed increase is from Rs. 40 and Rs. 5 to Rs. 90 and Rs. 12.
Sources say the rates could be increased for all categories, including domestic and non-domestic.
The utility wants to increase the rate for public taps as well, suggesting that the annual rate for a rural public hydrant be raised to Rs. 5,250 from Rs. 3,500 and urban tap to Rs. 7,884 from Rs. 5,256.
