KARACHI, Feb 23: Following in the footsteps of the city government that recently imposed a so-called infrastructure tax on the overtaxed citizens of the city, the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board has increased a water tariff by nine per cent with a retrospective effect after merging sewerage and water charges, it emerged on Monday.

The hike will apply to all categories of KWSB consumers, except for those living in apartment buildings, with effect from July 1, 2008.

The KWSB last increased the water and sewerage tariff for domestic consumers in 2001-02 and for its bulk consumers in 1998, and, as such, water tariff for domestic consumers has been enhanced after seven years and for bulk consumers after 10 years, according to sources.

Though the notification pertaining to the nine per cent increase in water charges was initially issued in June 2008 by the then KWSB managing director, Sulaiman Chandio, when its control was with the Sindh government, it was held in abeyance by Karachi Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal in his capacity as the chairman of the KWSB shortly after the utility was given into the administrative control of the city government.

According to the sources, the approval for the new rates was given in the light of a Sindh cabinet decision of 2001, whereby the KWSB was authorised to revise the water tariff by eight to nine per cent not only in 2002-03, but also in subsequent years.

Officials argued that the utility did not raise even a single paisa on water charges during the last eight to 10 years, although electricity charges during the same period registered a sharp rise.

Asked about the logic behind exempting the residents of flats from the increase, the officials said such a decision was taken with a view to bringing an end to an anomaly in the water tariff of 2001-02 under which people living in flats were already paying higher water and sewerage charges than those living in houses having the same and more area.

New tariff

The new water tariff, including sewerage charges, per month for domestic un-metered consumers living on a plot measuring up to 60 square yards will now be Rs37; from 61 to 120 sq yards (Rs51); from 121 to 200 sq yards (Rs79); from 201 to 300 sq yards (Rs117); from 301 to 400 sq yards (Rs163); from 401 to 600 sq yards (Rs239); from 601 to 1,000 sq yards (Rs362); from 1,001 to 1,500 sq yards (Rs718); from 1,501 to 2000 sq yards (Rs927); from 2,001 to 2,500 sq yards (Rs1,181); from 2,501 to 3,000 sq yards (Rs1,497); from 3,001 to 3,500 sq yards (Rs1,825); from 3,501 to 4,000 sq yards (Rs2,171); from 4,001 to 4,500 sq yards (Rs2,533) and from 4,501 to 5,000 sq yards (Rs2,988).

Bulk supply rates

Metered domestic water consumers under the revised tariff will be charged Rs48 per 1,000 gallons while industrial and commercial consumers will be charged Rs80 per 1,000 gallons.

Though the sewerage charges have been merged with the water tariff, the sewerage tariff at a rate of 25 per cent of water charges will be applied to all bulk and retail water consumers, all constituent bodies, industrial units and agencies under the control of the government, irrespective of their location, who are discharging their sewerage either through the KWSB sewerage system or any other system directly or indirectly, collectively or individually anywhere, the newly appointed chief revenue officer (CRO) of the KWSB, Ghulam Mohammad, explained.