800% increase in water bills likely

Domestic, commercial and industrial consumers to face extra burden

HYDERABAD:

Water bills for domestic, commercial, and industrial consumers may see an increase of up to 800% if the notification issued by the Sindh government on March 6 is implemented as planned.

Agricultural consumers will face a 100% increase in abiana [water tax]. The significant rise in water bills has been made after a 25-year gap since 1999.

The Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority (SIDA) has instructed the directors of its three area water boards, in a letter dated March 18, to promptly raise the water tax for both irrigation and non-irrigation purposes. These boards oversee water supply to agricultural consumers as well as to the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) in Hyderabad, municipal bodies, and the Public Health Engineering Department in various districts of Sindh.

A spokesperson for SIDA, Hizbullah Mangrio, the agency currently charges Rs0.50 per 1,000 gallons from government departments supplying water to residential consumers, while commercial and industrial consumers pay Rs1 per 1,000 gallons.

However, under the new tariff, residential consumers will be charged Rs4 per 1,000 gallons, and commercial and industrial consumers will be charged Rs8 per 1,000 gallons.

The increase was authorised during a cabinet meeting of the caretaker provincial government on February 20 and was subsequently notified on March 6 by the Sindh Irrigation Secretary. All commissioners, deputy commissioners, the Irrigation department, and SIDA were directed to enforce the new rates.

Similarly, the per-acre abiana for crops has been raised by 100%. Rice farmers will now pay between Rs127 to Rs355 per acre in the command areas of different canals. Meanwhile, cotton farmers will be charged between Rs84 to Rs372, sugarcane growers between Rs240 to Rs727, wheat farmers between Rs79 to Rs213, and orchard farmers between Rs133 to Rs568. Growers cultivating a range of other crops will also face a 100% increase in abiana.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 22^nd, 2024.