<p>Bengaluru: The news of the water tariff revision came as a shock to many households, industries, and commercial establishments, especially after a series of recent hikes.</p>.<p>Industrialists argued that the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) should focus on improving service quality before revising tariffs.</p>.<p>“Even now, we do not have a consistent water supply for many industries in the Peenya industrial area. Sometimes, water is supplied just once a week — or not at all for two or three weeks. Before revising tariffs, they should fix these issues,” said Shiva Kumar R, President of the Peenya Industries Association.</p>.Taken for a ride: Auto rides get costly with 'tips before trips' .<p>MG Balakrishna, President of the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry, said that price hikes across essential services were straining residents.</p>.<p>“The government must consider the common man’s perspective. With prices of all commodities rising, how can the average person afford to live in Bengaluru?” said <br />Balakrishna.</p>.<p>Most people <span class="italic">DH </span>spoke to echoed similar concerns, stating that back-to-back price hikes have made it difficult to plan household budgets.</p>.<p><span class="bold">‘If water is too cheap, people fail to understand its value’</span></p>.<p>While many households opposed the revision, experts said the hike could strengthen the system.</p>.<p>Speaking to <span class="italic">DH</span>, S Vishwanath, rainwater harvesting pioneer and water conservationist, said that efficient water use comes when it is appropriately priced.<br />“If water is too cheap, people fail to understand its value,” he noted.</p>.<p>He said increasing the BWSSB’s revenue was crucial to treat wastewater to expected standards before releasing it into lakes or reusing it.</p>.<p>“It is our responsibility to return clean water to nature. It costs nearly Rs 40 to treat one kilo litre of wastewater. To sustain this, tariff revisions are necessary,” he added.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: The news of the water tariff revision came as a shock to many households, industries, and commercial establishments, especially after a series of recent hikes.</p>.<p>Industrialists argued that the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) should focus on improving service quality before revising tariffs.</p>.<p>“Even now, we do not have a consistent water supply for many industries in the Peenya industrial area. Sometimes, water is supplied just once a week — or not at all for two or three weeks. Before revising tariffs, they should fix these issues,” said Shiva Kumar R, President of the Peenya Industries Association.</p>.Taken for a ride: Auto rides get costly with 'tips before trips' .<p>MG Balakrishna, President of the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry, said that price hikes across essential services were straining residents.</p>.<p>“The government must consider the common man’s perspective. With prices of all commodities rising, how can the average person afford to live in Bengaluru?” said <br />Balakrishna.</p>.<p>Most people <span class="italic">DH </span>spoke to echoed similar concerns, stating that back-to-back price hikes have made it difficult to plan household budgets.</p>.<p><span class="bold">‘If water is too cheap, people fail to understand its value’</span></p>.<p>While many households opposed the revision, experts said the hike could strengthen the system.</p>.<p>Speaking to <span class="italic">DH</span>, S Vishwanath, rainwater harvesting pioneer and water conservationist, said that efficient water use comes when it is appropriately priced.<br />“If water is too cheap, people fail to understand its value,” he noted.</p>.<p>He said increasing the BWSSB’s revenue was crucial to treat wastewater to expected standards before releasing it into lakes or reusing it.</p>.<p>“It is our responsibility to return clean water to nature. It costs nearly Rs 40 to treat one kilo litre of wastewater. To sustain this, tariff revisions are necessary,” he added.</p>