WASA Announces Huge Increase in Water Charges

The Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) has raised water charges for domestic and commercial consumers by 10.33% for the next six months, citing increased electricity costs as the reason.

The previous Punjab caretaker government allowed Wasa to adjust water charges twice a year to account for fluctuations in fuel costs, including petrol and electricity. In 2023, this led to water rates rising in five major cities of the province: Rawalpindi, Lahore, Multan, Gujranwala, and Faisalabad. For instance, the monthly water supply charge for a three-marla house increased from Rs400 to Rs440, and for a five-marla house, from Rs700 to Rs770.

Previously, owners of five-marla houses were charged only Rs120 per month.

A senior Wasa official explained to Dawn that the former Punjab cabinet authorized the adjustment of water charges in line with fuel prices for the five Wasa agencies in the province. “It’s possible that water charges could decrease after six months, depending on the rates of petrol, diesel, and electricity tariffs,” he noted. He added that water rates in Rawalpindi, Lahore, Gujranwala, Multan, and Faisalabad had remained unchanged since 2008 until the provincial government approved this adjustment in 2023.

The official further explained that the Wasa agencies in these cities had requested the water tariff increase to cover their operational costs, especially given the sharp rise in electricity charges over the past 15 years. He emphasized that there is no direct funding for these civic agencies, which must cover expenses for fuel, electricity, and employee salaries through water and sewerage charges. With the rising costs of electricity and employee wages, managing the operation of tube wells, pumping stations, and filtration plants has become increasingly challenging, he said.