Water tanker rates in Karachi have been increased by Rs300 to Rs500 for residential and commercial consumers.

The Karachi Water and Sewerage Board provides water through
tankers to areas facing its shortage.

Water tanker rates are different for commercial/industrial
and general public service/residential categories.

The new GPS rates from auctioned hydrants are:

Rs1,300 for 1000-gallon
tanker Rs1,820 for 2,000-gallon
tanker Rs2,340 for 3,000-gallon
tanker Rs3,250 for 5,000-gallon
tankerThe rates for commercial category are:

Rs2,600 for 1000-gallon
tanker Rs3,250 for 2,000-gallon
tanker Rs4,550 for 3,000-gallon
tanker Rs5,200 for 5,000-gallon
tankerThere are six hydrants through which the KWSB provides water
tankers. They are located in all six Karachi districts.

Crush Plant Hydrant caters to water needs in District West,
Future Colony Hydrant in District Korangi, Sherpao Hydrant in District South,
NIPA Hydrant in District East, Sakhi Hasan Hydrant in District Central and
Safoora Hydrant in District Malir.

The KWSB has also increased the per kilometre charges beyond
a distance of 10 kilometres.

This means a tanker will only charge the standard rate for
supplying water to a destination within a 10km radius. Any consumer outside
this radius will have to pay the additional charges.

The new per kilometre charges beyond a distance of 10
kilometres in the GPS category are:

Rs56 for 1,000-gallon
tankerRs64 for 2,000-gallon
tankerRs72 for 3,000-gallon
tankerRs136 for 5,000-gallon
tankerPer kilometre charges in commercial category are:

Rs61 for 1,000-gallon
tankerRs69 for 2,000-gallon
tankerRs78 for 3,000-gallon
tankerRs148 for 5,000-gallon
tankerSuperintendent Engineer Naimatullah Maher, who is the KWSB
water hydrant cell chief, says the rates have been increased on the
recommendation of the evaluation committee.

The new rates have already been implemented after the
auction of KWSB hydrants, according to Maher. The hydrants are auctioned every
two years.

The three-member evaluation committee comprised senior KWSB
officers Manzoor Khatri, Sardar Shah and Munir Bhatti.

Shah told SAMAA Digital that the rates were increased after
four years. He explained how the committee revised the rates.

“We increased the rates in comparison to the increase in
water tariff and diesel price over the last four years,” Shah said.

The water tariff rose by 36% while the price of diesel has
been fluctuating since 2016, he added.