Residents feel aggrieved at the decision of Chittagong Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (CWASA) to increase water charges for household purposes by over 18 percent from today.

Without taking proper initiatives to reduce system loss and “corruption", the authorities have increased the charge, they said.

CWASA sources said the system loss has increased to over 30 percent from 17 percent due to "illegal water connections” and leakage from pipes.

Earlier, CWASA used to increase water charges by 5 percent every year through approval from its board meeting.

To increase more than that, CWASA needs approval from the higher authorities concerned, said its sources.

This time, it sent a proposal to the local government ministry to increase the water rate for household purposes by 31.40 percent and commercial purposes by 48.42 percent to cope with production and maintenance costs, they said.

The ministry approved the charges to be increased by 18.26 percent in the household sector and 38.88 percent in commercial sector, they said, adding, the present water charge is Tk 7.61 per thousand litre in the household sector while Tk 18 in commercial sector.

AKM Fazlullah, managing director of CWASA, said, "I have heard that the ministry fixed Tk 9 for per thousand litre water in household sector and Tk 25 in commercial sector from January."

The city dwellers said the landlords will find an excuse to increase house rent due to water price hike.

Moreover, they said the CWASA cannot supply water as per demand in many areas but they are increasing the charges instead of meeting water crisis. The CWASA can supply only 31 crore litre water per day against the demand for 50 crore litre, said its officials.

SM Nazer Hossain, vice president of Consumers Association of Bangladesh, told The Daily Star that the Wasa's move to increase the rate is "illogical" and "unacceptable".