In a significant relief to apartment complexes and paying guest (PG) facilities, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has revised its water tariff structure, reducing rates that were increased in April this year.
The revision comes after strong opposition from residents’ welfare associations and PG owners, who had argued that the April hike was unfair as it only considered consumption volume, ignoring the number of housing units in a complex. Responding to these concerns, BWSSB has now introduced a slab-based structure for complexes with fewer than 2,000 houses.
For housing complexes with fewer than 200 flats, rates have been fixed at ₹25 per kilolitre (KL) for 0–200 KL consumption, ₹28 for 200–500 KL, ₹32 for 500–1000 KL, and ₹55 beyond 1000 KL. Complexes with 300–2000 flats will pay a uniform rate of ₹32 per KL, while those exceeding 2000 flats will continue at ₹55 per KL.
PG facilities have also gained from the revision, with cleaning fees reduced by 60 percent. Monthly charges for PGs with up to 20 rooms have been cut from ₹5,000 to ₹2,000, while those with more than 20 rooms will now pay ₹3,000 instead of ₹7,500. Non-domestic hostels will pay ₹3,000 instead of ₹5,000.
Meanwhile, BWSSB’s flagship project, Sanchari Cauvery, continues to provide affordable BIS-certified drinking water through tankers, reducing dependence on private suppliers. Officials said the initiative has received a strong public response. The water board’s decision is expected to ease the financial burden on thousands of residents and PG operators across Bengaluru.
