Pune: Water Tax Of Rs 649.74 Crore To PMC

Pune, 13th December 2022: The Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority (MWRRA) has increased the water tariff due to the increase in water rates. The impact of it has now started to fall on the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). Using water over the sanctioned quota and discharging sewage directly into the river will cost the municipal corporation Rs 649.74 crores.

Local bodies are required to treat sewage as per the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board’s approved standards before discharging it into natural streams or canals. If local bodies do not install sewage treatment plants based on their water allocation or are not operating at full capacity, they will be fined twice the sanctioned water quota or actual water consumption, whichever is higher.

Increase in domestic and industrial water rates in the state by the Water Resources Department; accordingly, 30 to 60 paise per thousand litres for domestic use, Rs 6.20 to 12.40 per thousand litres for industrial processing industries, Rs 45 to 90 per thousand litres for raw material processing industries Increase, the new rate will be applicable from the water year starting from 1st July, and this rate will be increased by 10 per cent in 2023-24, and by 20 per cent for the water year 2024-25, Municipalities will be charged 1.5 times the permissible rate if they use 100 to 125 per cent more water than the sanctioned water quota.

The water rates have been hiked from the current water year, where water consumption exceeding 125 per cent will be charged three times the permissible rate. Also, according to the rules of the authority regarding using excess water and releasing sewage directly into the river, the municipal corporation has been sent payments of Rs 108 crores for the four months from July to October.