To meet rising production costs, Chennai Metrowater has increased the tariff on its paid tanker water supply after six years. It is looking to tap into the potential of bulk tanker supply, especially in the southern parts of the city.
However, residents raise doubts over whether the service can be sustained amid resource constraints and growing demand.
For domestic consumers, Metrowater has revised tariff for 6 kl capacity tankers (₹550) and 9 kl tankers (₹825) for trips booked through the dial- for-water online service this month.
Bulk supply
New categories — 12-kl and 18-kl lorries — have been introduced to meet the demand for bulk supply.
The 12-kl tankers have been priced at ₹1,100 for domestic and ₹2050 for partly commercial consumers, while 18 kl trips would cost ₹1,650 (domestic category) and ₹3,070 (partly commercial) respectively.
Officials said the price revision was made to offset the growing production cost and higher rates quoted by Metrowater tanker operators on contract. About 450 hired lorries operate 3,500-3,900 trips every day.
While the bulk of the mobile trips cater to street supply, nearly 1,000-1,300 trips serve bulk consumers and another 800 to 900 are paid trips.
The water agency has lifted the cap on the number of trips allowed per day for apartment complexes, permitting trips based on advance payment, officials said.
Lorries of larger capacity will cater to areas on the fringes, which are yet to be covered with piped network, and homes dependent on private tankers. This will also help reduce the frequency of trips needed for bulk consumers.
Harsha Koda, cofounder, Federation of OMR Residents Welfare Associations, said: “It is a win-win situation for residents and the water agency. But we are skeptical about how long they will be able to sustain tanker supply to bulk consumers.”
Geetha Ganesh of Velachery said some residents living in flats with limited sump capacity still struggle to book 6-kl and 9-kl tankers and are instead allowed to book only 12-kl tankers. Metrowater must increase piped water supply to all parts of the city.
Officials said diverting more smaller capacity vehicles for online service would affect street supply.