Thiruvananhapuram: The Kerala Water Authority has approached the state government seeking approval to revise its water tariff system by factoring in not only water consumption but also the size and features of consumers' buildings.

Currently, KWA charges users based on their consumption. However, the authority's staff have proposed introducing a minimum usage slab of 15,000 litres, with revised rates applying only beyond that limit. The proposal was submitted to the government without prior consultation with employees, and a final decision is yet to be made.

The water authority's tariff structure has only four broad categories, namely household, non-household, industrial, and special (construction purpose). The latest recommendation seeks to further divide these into sub-categories and set rates accordingly. If approved, the new structure could result in a steep hike in water charges across all user categories.

Proposed tariff classification

Household Category
1) BPL: Includes BPL families, houses built under government or voluntary schemes such as Life Mission, PMAY, etc.
2) Social commitment: Includes households with critically ill patients (cancer, kidney, liver diseases), and those with severe physical or mental disabilities.
3) General: Houses or flats with a built-up area of up to 3,000 sq. ft.
4) Medium: Houses or flats with a built-up area between 3,000 and 5,000 sq. ft.
5) Premium: Houses or flats with a built-up area of more than 5,000 sq. ft.

Non-household category
1. Includes orphanages, old age homes, institutions for the differently abled, destitute homes, de-addiction centres and Bud schools that operate without charging fees from residents.

2. General: Orphanages, old age homes, and similar institutions that charge fees; hospitals with fewer than 10 beds; anganwadis, libraries, places of worship, educational and research institutions, hostels, godowns with a built-up area below 1,076 sq. ft. and commercial establishments with an area of 161 sq. ft.

3. Other categories: Hospitals with up to 50 beds, stand-alone hostels, gyms, homestays, poultry farms, animal farms, zoos, beauty parlours, workshops, restaurants with seating for fewer than 100, and private or government firms with built-up areas between 161 sq. ft. and 1,076 sq. ft.,  private lodges and auditoriums below 1,076 sq. ft.

4. Premium: Hotels with over 100 seats, hospitals with more than 50 beds, three-star and above hotels, amusement parks (non-water), convention centres and large-scale firms.