In a recent notification from the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI), the federal capital’s residents are now required to pay taxes for utilizing bore water. The tax amount will be determined by the horsepower of the boring motor.
Due to the water scarcity in various parts of Islamabad, residents are increasingly resorting to borewells to meet their water requirements.
Previously, citizens weren’t taxed for accessing and utilizing government-owned underground water. However, the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad has now introduced a tax on the usage of underground water via borewells.
As per the notification, revised water charges will now be implemented across different categories, based on the horsepower of the boring motor utilized.
If a half-horsepower motor is used with a one-inch pipe bored, households will be charged Rs. 1000 per month.
Households using underground water through a 2-horsepower motor and 2-inch pipe will be charged Rs. 2,500 per month, while commercial users will be charged Rs. 4,000 per month under the new regulations.
Domestic users utilizing an 8 to 15-horsepower motor and 3-inch pipe to extract underground water through boring will face a charge of Rs. 10,000 per month. The commercial users will be charged a fee of Rs. 15,000 per month.
Domestic users employing a 15 to 30-horsepower motor and a 4-inch pipe will face a charge of 20,000 rupees, while commercial users will be charged 25,000 rupees.
Under the MCI’s notification, households utilizing a 40 to 50-horsepower motor and a 6-inch pipe will face a monthly charge of Rs. 50,000, whereas commercial users will be charged Rs 75,000 per month.
Domestic users with a 70 to 100 horsepower motor and an 8-inch pipe will face a fee of Rs. 1 lac, while commercial clients will be charged Rs. 1 lac 50 thousand per month.
For those with a 140 to 160 horsepower motor and 9-inch pipes, domestic charges amount to Rs. 2 lac, while commercial users will be billed Rs. 3 lac monthly.
