Steep Water Tariff Hike Soaks Bengaluru’s Commercial Sector

Bengaluru: After prolonged back-and-forth, the Karnataka government enforced the BWSSB water tariff hike from April 1. Now, commercial consumers — including industries, hotels, PGs, and institutions — are feeling the pinch with monthly bills reportedly rising up to four times, despite no visible improvement in water supply.

Business owners argue that the hike, especially during peak summer demand, is a major burden on already slim operating margins. Bulk users now pay an additional 0.90 paise per litre, with no differentiation based on the nature or scale of water use.

“The 300% surge has stunned all PG owners,” said Arun Kumar DT, president of the PG Owners Welfare Association. “We’ll be formally urging BWSSB to roll back or revise the hike.”

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Mohan Reddy K, Director, IQAC, CMR University
“To cope with the hike, we’re fixing leaks, using low-flow fixtures, and pushing conservation. But with daily usage exceeding 1,000 litres, our budgets are strained and we may need to rethink fee structures.”

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G K Shetty, President, Karnataka State Hotels Association
“Hotels offer free water and sanitation services. But charges — including 25% increases on sanitation and borewell use — are disproportionate, especially for small operators.”

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Shivakumar R, President, Peenya Industries Association
“We get water once every few days and use very little. Yet we’re charged like malls and hotels. We need an industry-specific slab — this one-size-fits-all model is unfair.”

BWSSB Chairman Ram Prasanth Manohar defended the uniform tariff, stating it ensures equitable usage and penalizes overconsumption.

Commercial Tariff Hike Slabs (per litre):

• 0 – 10,000 L: ₹0.01 ↑

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