Water bill hike jolts strained consumers

RAWALPINDI:

Amid record-high inflation and severe financial crisis, municipal committees in the Rawalpindi district have significantly raised monthly water charges for both commercial and domestic consumers, putting additional strain on the already burdened citizens.

The powerful jolt is believed to have come from the government's directives for all municipal water supply committees and corporations to cover operational expenses independently.

Consequently, the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) has decided to raise water charges enormously.

According to sources, WASA said the civic agency was facing a situation where water extracted at a high cost from tube wells was being sold at lower prices. During the last decade, electricity bills have surged by approximately 1,000 per cent.

Currently, the monthly domestic water bill has been raised from Rs100 to Rs1,500, while the water connection security fee has been raised from Rs150 to Rs5,000. Similarly, the test approval fee has been increased from Rs280 to Rs2,500.

Commercial water charges have also experienced a significant spike.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 11^th, 2023.