Surat: The Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) on Thursday issued a clarification on water charge and water tax collection system, aiming to resolve confusion that has led to widespread non-payment in recent years.Earlier, SMC had removed the area-based water charge/water tax component from property tax bills and began issuing separate water meter bills from 2023. The charges were calculated on a pro-rata basis across the billing cycle. However, the move triggered disputes and complaints from taxpayers over the method and overlapping demands, resulting in many residents withholding payment.In 2025, the civic body reversed the policy and decided to reinstate water charge and water tax entries in the property tax bill, while removing them from water consumption bills. Building on that decision, SMC has now clarified how pending dues from the transition period will be recovered.According to the announcement, area-based water charges that remained uncollected through water meter bills for the period from 2023 to 2025 will be recovered as arrears in the property tax bills for the financial year 2026-27. The corporation said these pending amounts can be paid without interest, provided payment is made by the due date on the property tax bill. After that, interest will be levied according to the rules.“Many residents complained that the arrears are overlapping with water charges in their bill. But it is the pending amount which was not paid. Those who have paid their bill earlier did not receive bills with arrears,” said a SMC official.SMC also stated that no water consumption bills will be issued for up to two-inch residential and religious connections, and the cost of installing water meters for residential and religious connections ranging up to two inches will not be recovered from users.
