ISLAMABAD: For the first time since 2017, the Islamabad administration increased water fees by 200% to 300%, effective January 20, 2024. An employee of the water supply directorate claims that the Municipal Corporation of Islamabad (MCI) bills customers Rs. 700 million a month to cover all of its costs, which also include maintenance fees and salaries.
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According to the report, water charges for customers living on plots smaller than 250 yards would now cost Rs480 per month; for homes built on plots larger than 2,000 yards, water charges will cost Rs3,500 per month. For homes built on plots larger than 499 yards, water charges will cost Rs624, for homes 500 yards to 999 yards, and for homes 1,000 yards to 1,999 yards.
For homes of various classifications in model villages, the MCI has set a monthly water fee of Rs600; inhabitants of government housing would pay between Rs240 and Rs940.
In the meantime, the MCI has set a fee of Rs480 per 1,000 gallons for homes with water meters installed, provided that the water supply does not exceed 5,000 gallons. Individuals who use more than 5,000 to 20,000 gallons of water each month would be charged Rs70 per gallon.
Furthermore, lodging establishments in the National Park region and business buildings in the Blue Area would pay the MCI Rs1.5 per square foot. Private hospitals will also charge the same amount, which has been set. Additionally, the MCI set water rates of Rs. 10 per square foot for motor garages with service stations and Rs. 40,000 per month for petrol pumps with service stations.
Water prices for industrial area plots where water is used just for drinking and toilet use would be Rs8,400, and where water is used as raw material would be Rs24,000 per month. In a similar vein, cold storages would pay Rs19,200, bakeries Rs1,008, chicken stores and tea stalls Rs864.
It is significant to remember that the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) in Rawalpindi, Lahore, and other Punjabi metropolitan municipalities receives fees that are still one-third of the higher water prices in Islamabad. For instance, in Rawalpindi, homes up to ten marlas pay more than Rs 2,000 in water bills each month, whereas other sized homes pay between Rs 480 and Rs 624.
