Dhaka WASA now hikes water tariff

A day after a hike in power tariffs, Dhaka WASA (Water Supply and Sewerage Authority) on Friday raised the water tariff, dealing a double blow to consumers, reports UNB.

It issued a notice hiking the water tariff for both residential and commercial users.

The price of per unit (1,000 litres) of water has been fixed at Tk 14.46 from the existing Tk 11.57, a rise by 24.97 per cent, for residential users while Tk 40 from the current Tk 37.04, up by 9.94 per cent, for commercial consumers.

The new rates will come into effect on 1 April, the notice said.

This was the second water tariff hike in a span of eight months.

The water tariff was last raised in July last year with effect from 1 September when the price of per unit of water was set at Tk 11.57 from Tk 11.02 for residential purposes while Tk 37.04 from 35.28 for commercial usage.

On Thursday, the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) raised the power tariffs on a weighted average by 5.3 per cent and 8.4 per cent at the retail and wholesale levels.

The new tariff will come into effect on 1 March, said newly-appointed BERC chairman Md Abdul Jalil while announcing the decision.

The retail power tariff was increased from Tk 6.77 to Tk 7.13 per unit (each kilowatt-hour) at the retail level and Tk 4.77 to Tk 5.17 at the wholesale level.

The BERC also raised the wheeling charge in power transmission by a weighted average of 5.3 per cent to Tk 0.29 per kilowatt hour to Tk 0.27.

The retail price is applicable for common consumers while the bulk one for power distribution companies.