Wasa backtracks on water price hike

Dhaka Wasa will not be hiking water prices considering the worsening of the covid-19 situation. The decision was made at the board meeting of Wasa held yesterday.

"We did not approve the proposal for hiking water tariff by five percent, considering the pandemic. We will reconsider the matter when the situation goes back to normal," said Wasa Board Chairperson Dr Golam Mostafa.

The proposal was prepared to increase water prices by five percent for residential and commercial uses from July 1.

According to the proposal, the prices of each unit (1,000 litres) of water will be Tk 15.18 for residential use and Tk 42 for commercial use, increasing from the current prices of Tk 14.46 and Tk 40 respectively.

Earlier, Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) termed the proposal of increasing water price during the novel coronavirus pandemic unacceptable, cold-blooded and inconsiderate.

"When people are struggling financially, the proposal to increase price of water is not acceptable in any way," CAB said in a press release yesterday.

"This will increase living costs and cause great suffering to people," added the statement.

Earlier on Monday, Dr Golam Mostafa said the price hike was proposed to adjust with inflation.

"We only earn half of the production cost of water and we have to increase the price gradually to have a sustainable future for the company," he said.

Dhaka Wasa can increase the water tariff by five percent in consultation with the government as per section 22 of the Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority Act, 1996.

Brushing aside Wasa's rationale for increasing price, CAB said despite the price increasing every year, there are numerous complaints of supplying undrinkable water against Wasa.

There are allegations that residents of many areas of Dhaka, such as Jurain, are supplied poor quality tap water.

Besides, many face acute shortage of drinking water and don't have access to sewage network.

A group of residents of Jurain and its adjacent areas had staged a demonstration in front of Wasa's Karwan Bazar headquarters on April 23, 2019, demanding supply of hygienic water.