💬 Water tanker price in our colony went from 900 to 1,400 in three months

Our colony in Mehdipatnam gets corporation water on alternate days, and it comes at five in the morning. It is never enough for a building with eight flats, so we have always depended on tankers. In July the tanker cost us 900 rupees for a 6,000 litre load, and everyone accepted that. Last week the same driver asked for 1,400 and said it was the new rate for everyone. I asked him why, and he said diesel went up and the fill points have long queues now. He also said the borewell owners near Langar Houz have raised their own price twice since August. I could not argue because I have no idea what the real costs are on his side. What I do know is that our building now spends close to 8,000 more every month than before. Our secretary called a meeting on Sunday and about twenty people showed up, which never happens for anything else. Half the time was spent shouting about who should pay more, the ground floor flats or the top floor ones. Somebody suggested a common borewell, then another person reminded us we tried that in 2022 and it dried up. We left without deciding anything, except that the maintenance fee will probably go up by 300 a flat. I have started keeping a notebook with the date, the litres and the amount for every tanker. Not because it will change anything, but I want to see the real number at year end. I also called the water board helpline twice, and both times the call was cut after the greeting. The third time a man picked up and told me to send an application, with no mention of where. I want to know if other areas are seeing the same jump or if it is just our side. Please tell me what you pay and how many litres you get, with the area name if possible. If someone has dealt with a decent tanker supplier who keeps a fixed monthly rate, that would help too. Right now it feels like we are paying more every week for something that should be basic.

Twenty people showing up for a meeting is rare, so please do not waste that energy on blaming floors. We tried the water board helpline for a month and only a written complaint got a response. Someone in our lane walked it to the Mehdipatnam section office and a corporation tanker came within four days. It is slow, but the price was 600 less than private tankers, so it is worth a try.

The notebook is a good idea, and I would show it to the secretary before the next meeting. In our Attapur building we collected quotes from three tanker owners and picked one on a monthly deal.

Our flat in Malakpet paid 1,100 last week, so Mehdipatnam seems to be getting hit harder. The notebook idea is smart, because the driver cannot argue with dates and litres written down.

We pay around 1,200 for a similar load in Tolichowki, so your jump does not surprise me. Our driver blamed the same long queues at the fill points and said it would settle after Diwali. It has not settled yet, but a neighbour of ours got a fixed monthly rate by paying in advance. Maybe ask your driver if he gives a better rate for a four load booking each month.