Water bills in Bengaluru hiked after 11 years! Here’s how much you will pay now

Starting April 10, Bengaluru residents will face a revision in their monthly water bills as the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) implements a new slab-based tariff structure—the first hike in over a decade.

Under the new pricing system, domestic users will now be charged up to 1 paisa per litre, depending on their monthly consumption. The BWSSB says the revision is structured to protect lower and middle-income households while promoting judicious use of water.

"This hike is aimed at avoiding burden on common citizens," said BWSSB Chairman Dr Ram Prasath Manohar. "Essential usage will remain affordable, while higher consumption will attract a slightly higher cost."

New domestic tariff structure:

0 to 8,000 litres: Rs 0.15 per litre
8,001 to 25,000 litres: Rs 0.40 per litre
25,001 to 50,000 litres: Rs 0.80 per litre
Above 50,000 litres: Rs 0.01 (1 paisa) per litre

For high-rise apartments, the revised structure ranges from Rs 0.30 to Rs 0.01 per litre, with slabs set at:

Up to 2 lakh litres: Rs 0.30 per litre
2–5 lakh litres: Rs 0.60 per litre
5–10 lakh litres: Rs 1.00 per litre

Commercial and industrial users will face a hike as well, with tariffs ranging from Rs 0.90 to Rs 1.90 per litre.

Despite the revision, the BWSSB has assured that most households will see only a modest increase—around Rs 20 to Rs 30 per month—while commercial users can expect an average rise of Rs 50 to Rs 60.

Dr Manohar said that the move was necessary to manage rising operational costs. Over the last ten years, electricity costs have surged by 107%, and overall operational expenses have climbed by 122.5%. The board currently faces a monthly deficit of Rs 80 crore, with expenditures reaching Rs 200 crore against Rs 120 crore in collections.

In a bid to encourage water conservation, the BWSSB also announced that tariffs will automatically increase by 3% every year starting April 1.