Jaipur’s scorching temperatures have caused a surge in water demand, forcing residents to rely on private water tankers. The price of this delivered water has gone through the roof, with residents paying four times the usual rate.
The price of private water tanker deliveries skyrocketed in Jaipur this year, reaching four times the usual rate. In some parts of the Walled City, residents had to pay as much as Rs 2,000 for a tanker, whereas the normal price range is Rs 300 to Rs 500.
According to a resident of the walled city area, “For the last few days, we are facing a severe water crisis at our residence. After much pursuance at the local circle office of the public health engineering department (PHED), we decided to buy water from the private tankers. The rate they offered was shocking. After much negotiation, we paid Rs 2,200 for 4,000 liters of water”.
Even the PHED officials in Jaipur confirm a serious water shortage this year. Areas like Vidhyadhar Nagar, Jhotwara, Jagatpura, Kho Nagoriyan, and the Walled City are particularly affected. Officials say the demand for water is simply outpacing the supply coming from Bisalpur Dam.
As per a PHED engineer, “We are transferring around 600 MLD of water at present whereas the present requirement is close to 700 MLD. The demand has increased not only because of the temperature. The department has given rampant connections to new areas under the previous government and as a result, the requirement has increased. To add on, several houses in the city are still illegally using booster pumps to suck more water from our pipelines and despite our best efforts we could not trace all of these errant consumers.”
Private water tanker suppliers in Jaipur say the price of water delivery will go up to over 1,500 rupees this year. While some residents have been charged as much as 2,000 rupees, tanker owners claim that’s too high. They say the increase is due to both higher demand for water and a recent rise in government licensing fees.
