Water bills: Domestic consumers owe Rs 348 cr, LSGD highest defaulter among govt depts

The Local Self-Government Department (LSGD) is the highest defaulter in payment of dues to the Kerala Water Authority (KWA), followed by the Public Works Department (PWD) and the Medical College and Health Department. Together, these departments owe KWA over Rs 81 crore. The dues of the LSGD stand at Rs 33.9 crore for 18,508 connections. PWD has 1,573 connections and it has defaulted amount to the tune of Rs 28.68 crore.

As many as 41 government departments collectively owe KWA Rs 115.6 crore for over 27,000 connections. Among the public sector undertakings, the highest defaulter is KSEB; Rs 3.64 crore. KWA has recorded 24 domestic consumers with dues above Rs 10 lakh. There are defaulters whose dues have crossed Rs 1 crore. A domestic consumer in Vattiyoorkavu, Thiruvananthapuram, owes KWA Rs 4.11 crore, and another consumer in Thiruvannur owes KWA Rs 4.06 crore. There are three consumers whose dues run above Rs 50 lakh. The Assistant Executive Engineer, PWD figures among the list of defaulters with dues running into crores; the highest being Rs 12.25 crore owed by the Assistant Executive Engineer, PWD buildings subdivision, Thrikkakkara.

There are 91 non-domestic consumers who owe KWA dues above Rs 1 lakh. The total dues of domestic consumers stand at Rs 348.29 crore. KWA is dealing with huge arrears even while grappling with loss. As per the annual figures submitted by the Kerala Water Authority Board to the Accountant General (Audit) for 2022-23, KWA's fiscal loss was Rs 1,312.34 crore.

Between 2016 and 2024, KWA has increased water charges thrice: a five per cent hike in 2021, a five per cent hike in 2022 and in 2023, when a hike of 1 paise per litre was effected for all consumers and public taps was also included. KWA could garner additional revenue of Rs 97.34 crore in 2021-22, Rs 90.17 crore in 2022-23 and Rs 649.98 crore in 2023-24 with this hike.