Water tariffs will rise by a marginal amount in response to the recent increase in electricity charges, Housing, Construction and Water Supply Minister Susil Ranasinghe said in Colombo on Tuesday.
The minister said electricity expenses account for about 12 per cent of the water tariff structure, and that the rise in electricity charges has fed through to that component. Only the affected portion of the bill will be adjusted, on a per-unit basis.
“Many people are asking whether water bills will increase. Electricity costs make up about 12 per cent of the water tariff, and that component has increased by around 18 per cent. As a result, only that portion will be adjusted on a per-unit basis. The increase will be very small,” Minister Ranasinghe told reporters.
He said changes in electricity tariffs have a direct impact on water supply operations — the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) runs energy-intensive pumping and treatment infrastructure — making a minor revision to water charges necessary.
The clarification firms up the position the minister flagged at his biannual review on May 11, when he said no decision had then been taken and that the half-yearly review would settle the question. The pass-through reflects the NSO/PUCSL tariff process that has lifted average household electricity bills this quarter as global fuel prices push CEB and NSO costs higher, with further inflation pressure flagged by the Central Bank Governor on Monday.
Source: Ada Derana.
