With the city facing a water supply shortage of 800 million litres a day (mld), the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has located the 20,000 Mumbai families who will now shoulder the burden of consuming water in the most expensive bracket.

These families consume well above the national norm of 150 litres per capita per day and mostly belong to the affluent pockets between Bandra and Juhu, the BMC has found.

With the BMC having just issued water bills for the first quarter of the financial year (for the period April 1 to August 12), officials have found that that 20,285 bills have been charged at the new “telescopic” rates, where consumers are charged double, three times and four times the regular water charges (Rs 3.50 per kilolitre or per 1,000 litres) for excess consumption respectively up to 200, 250 and above 250 litres per capita per day. The new structure, being imposed from this financial year, is applicable to the metered consumers whose water meters are functioning.

In the first cycle, 53,273 consumers were issued bills last week. While 32,988 consumers have received bills at normal rates (users below 150 liters per capita per day) 20,285 families have been charged at telescopic rates. The civic administration’s revenue has consequently seen a slight jump, with the bill amount for consumers with normal rates being Rs 1,33,673 and that for telescopic being Rs 2,28,055.

Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Anil Diggikar said that the BMC cannot stop supplying water to residents who consume more. “But those consuming more water will now have to pay more.”

Ravindra D, a Kandivli resident, said the water bill for his society has seen a 40 per cent hike owing to the telescopic rates. “After seeing the bill, our society now releases water for an hour in the evening instead of a continuous flow,” he said. “It is good that we will save water,” he added.

The BMC supplies about 3,350 mld to more than 12 million Mumbaiites, but a staggering 650 mld is lost in distribution, owing to pilferage and leakages. The demand for water stands at 4,200 mld. With 44 per cent of meters not in working condition and over 1 lakh consumers not having a meter at all, the next task for the BMC is to install the Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) system.

What is telescopic rate for water?
Consumption up to 150 litres per capita per day is charged at Rs 3.50 per kilolitre, or per 1,000 litres. Between 150 litres/capita/day up to 200 litres/capita/day, the charge is Rs 7 per kilolitre.