Dhaka WASA mulls another water tariff hike

Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority is planning yet again a hike in water tariff for both household and commercial consumers.

The agency – which has raised water prices 14 times in the last 13 years – is going to propose increasing water prices from Tk 15.18 to Tk 21 for domestic consumers and from Tk 42 to Tk 55 for commercial users.

Speaking to the media at the WASA office in the capital’s Karwan Bazar on Wednesday, Dhaka WASA Managing Director Taqsem A Khan said, “The WASA board is making this move to cut back on government subsidies.

“We will make a proposal for hiking water prices, but the final decision in this regard will come from the government. If the prices do not go up, the subsidies will.”

Taqsem added that the agency can increase water prices by five per cent every year to make adjustments with inflation, but it needs the government’s approval to increase prices further. “The current cost of per unit water production is Tk 25,” he said.

According to WASA, a unit means 1,000 litres of water.

Dhaka WASA previously increased water tariff from Tk 5.75 in 2009 to Tk 15.18 in 2021. In the past 13 years, this agency increased the water tariffs for residential use by 181 per cent.

In July last year, the Dhaka WASA board hiked tariffs for each unit of water by five per cent. After the hike, water tariff stood at Tk 15.18 for residential use and Tk 42 for commercial use, up from the previous prices of Tk 14.46 and Tk 40 respectively.

Dhaka still facing water crisis

Many residents in different parts of the city, especially in Mirpur, Jatrabari, Mohammadpur, Badda, Jurain and Old Town of Dhaka complained that they were not getting an adequate supply of water, while others claimed to be getting dirty water from the supply lines.

Taqsem however denied these allegations saying the crisis is not being caused by a shortage of water, but by the inadequate supply chain. “We have some pockets in our supply chain, and residents living near these pockets are getting less water,” he said.

Conscious Consumers Society’s Founder President Palash Mahmud said the agency is more concerned with price hikes instead of ensuring the proper supply of water.

He urged the government to ensure accountability and transparency of Dhaka WASA so that the residents can avail this essential service for a low cost.