Residents and businesses in Chennai dependent on water tankers are set to feel a significant pinch in their wallets. The Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board, commonly known as MetroWater, has announced a steep increase in tariffs for its pre-booked water tanker services. The revised rates come into effect from December 5, impacting thousands of households and commercial establishments across the city.
Breaking Down the New Water Tanker Tariffs
The price revision is not uniform and varies based on the capacity of the tanker and the type of consumer—residential or commercial. The most substantial hikes have been applied to the commonly booked 6,000-litre and 9,000-litre loads.
For residential users, the cost of a 6,000-litre tanker load has been raised from ₹475 to ₹550, marking a 16% increase. The price for a 9,000-litre load jumps from ₹700 to ₹825, also a 16% rise. Notably, the charges for larger 12,000-litre and 18,000-litre residential loads remain unchanged at ₹1,100 and ₹1,650 respectively.
The hike is considerably sharper for commercial establishments. A 6,000-litre commercial load now costs ₹1,025, a steep 39% increase from the previous ₹735. The 9,000-litre commercial load sees a 46% surge, moving from ₹1,050 to ₹1,535. Similar to the residential category, prices for higher-capacity commercial loads (₹2,050 for 12,000 litres and ₹3,070 for 18,000 litres) have not been altered.
Why the Hike and What It Means for Chennai
MetroWater supplies approximately 1,000 tanker loads daily to apartments and commercial units across Chennai. MetroWater Managing Director T G Vinay stated that the tariff revision was undertaken to align the board's prices with the prevailing market rates. This move underscores the growing strain on the city's formal water supply infrastructure.
The reliance on tankers is particularly acute in areas lacking consistent piped water connections. Harsha Koda of the Federation of Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) Residents Associations highlighted this critical dependency, noting that many neighborhoods along the IT corridor lack reliable pipelines. "Our primary source of water is through water lorries," Koda said. "Many apartment complexes depend on around 25 loads of 9,000 litres every day."
Broader Impact and Market Reactions
The price increase is expected to have a ripple effect on the cost of living and doing business in Chennai. Vikramaraja, President of the Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sanga Peravai (Merchant Association), warned that the increased cost for commercial establishments and vendors would inevitably be passed on to consumers. "It will automatically result in the increase of price in tax/products that are bought by people. It is the people who are affected by this change," he explained.
Meanwhile, private tanker operators report a continuously rising demand. N Nijalingam, President of the South Chennai Private Tankers Operators, mentioned that they supply at least 1,000 loads daily. However, private operators typically use larger 12,000-litre and 24,000-litre lorries, which they price at ₹1,200 and ₹2,000 respectively, presenting a different pricing structure compared to MetroWater's revised slabs.
The MetroWater price hike spotlights the ongoing water security challenges in Chennai, where alternative sources like tankers become essential yet increasingly expensive lifelines, directly impacting household budgets and business operational costs.
