Kolhapur mayor Rouparani Nikam said the tariff hike was approved unanimously by corporators across party lines to offset mounting losses in the water supply department
Kolhapur : Residents will have to pay more for water from Oct 1, with Kolhapur Municipal Corporation (KMC) approving a steep revision in water tariffs after more than three years. The rate for domestic consumption of up to 20,000 litres has been increased from Rs 9.50 to Rs 15 per unit — a hike of 58%. Under the revised rates, the tariff for non-domestic consumers has gone up from Rs 46 to Rs 58 per unit, and for industrial users from Rs 74.75 to Rs 90. KMC expects the hike to generate an additional Rs 30 crore annually. The last revision was implemented on April 1, 2021. “MJP charges Rs 24.20 for consumption up to 20,000 litres, whereas KMC’s revised rate is Rs 15. Consumers in the first slab of up to 20,000 litres can expect their monthly bills to increase by Rs 110 to Rs 130 on average, according to the administration. The water supply department currently generates annual revenue of around Rs 40-45 crore, while expenditure has climbed to nearly Rs 110 crore, leaving a significant financial gap and prompting the tariff revision, civic officials said.
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Kolhapur mayor Rouparani Nikam said the tariff hike was approved unanimously by corporators across party lines to offset mounting losses in the water supply department. For the past few years, the department’s income has been far below its expenditure, and this step was unavoidable to partially compensate for the deficit,” she said. KMC commissioner Dr Rajendra Bharud said the administration had initially proposed aligning municipal water charges with those of Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran (MJP), but elected representatives opted for a more moderate increase. Our water tariffs remain significantly lower in comparison,” Bharud said. At the same time, the city’s ageing water supply infrastructure requires substantial maintenance expenditure,” he said.
“We took this decision with a heavy heart, but it had become necessary. Officials, however, maintained that the impact on ordinary household consumers would be limited. Bharud pointed to rising operational costs as the key reason behind the revision. “Electricity charges and other input costs have increased manifold over the past few years. Download the TOI App.
He said KMC was preparing a detailed project report (DPR) to automate the city’s water supply system. The project aims to curb water theft, reduce leakages, minimise supply disruptions and regulate pressure levels.
The proposal is expected to be placed before the standing committee within a week.