People in Bengaluru are now awakened to a severe ‘billing shock’ as new accusations surface against the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) after it has made some covert changes to water tariff, according to opposition figures and civic groups that the board has increased water rates every three months since 2024 without warning the people.
In fact the rates are up 12% year-on-year in those previous years as new water rates increase, in line with the rate to meet the demands of households when going into a district in Bengaluru. For more than 13 years, the BWSSB had previously announced its 32% wage increase (April 2025), and this time came a third time; but that time it made it a “secret policy of up 3% in the price of water for every quarter.”
This time, the rate per litre is up 15% when the unit (home and office) is at the same altitude. Telescopic Pricing: Bengaluru pays a slab rate where the same price per litre is on the upward trend after over 50K liter. So the monthly residential bills, as shown in the city is very steep and even if we know how often we are in a rain-warmer city.
For example, minor leakage, or “bunched” billing (one-time usage in 3 months can go for ₹55/kg). The BWSSB’s stance is being challenged: sustainable or extortion? BWSSB chairman Dr Ram Prasath Manohar is convinced the new amendments are vital to the city’s aging system and the ₹200 crore (₹75.3 crore) monthly operational cost, much of which goes to the big electricity bills paid for the water needed to supply Cauvery water in high height environment of the city.
The board gets nearly ₹80 crore per month in revenue losses on each day, he said. But with the government on the brink of this situation, it introduced an OTS scheme in April to June 2026 that covers people who are out of arrears for 12 months and over.
