Govt. flushes loo tax on people

By Malik Gunatilleke

With the cost of living boiling over, your water bills also are going up mainly because you will have to pay a tax every time you use the toilet.

The government has imposed this new sewerage service charge on toilets in residences, government institutions and private buildings including charitable organisations and religious places.

At present, this tax is imposed in a few areas but now it is to be enforced islandwide in all areas where the sewerage systems are maintained by the National Water Supply and Drainage Board.

NWSDB General Manager K.L. Premanath said the new tax was intended to cover the increasing costs of maintaining the sewerage system.He said any household using more than ten units or 10,000 litres of water a month would have to pay bigger bills.

Government institutions, schools, hotels, firms and all other private institutions, will also have to pay bigger bills.