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Water to cost more soon
The Star 15/10/2006 BY CELESTE FONG
KUALA LUMPUR: Water tariffs will go up by 15% for Klang Valley consumers who
use more than 35 cubic metres per month, says Water, Energy and
Communications Minister Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik.
He said the ministry was still in discussion with Selangor on when the new
tariffs would come into force.
Dr Lim said the increase should not affect the lower income group.
“Those who consume less than 20 cubic metres of water per month will not be
affected.”
For consumers who use more than 20 cubic metres a month but less than 35,
the tariff increase is 6%.
Citing an example, he said that if the water bill was RM17 now, it would
soon be between RM18 and RM18.50 after the increase.
For a normal five-member family, Dr Lim said household consumption should
not exceed 30 cubic metres a month.
Dr Lim, who is also Gerakan president, was speaking to reporters yesterday
after the party’s monthly central committee meeting at Menara PGRM here.
He said Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas) was entitled to a 15%
increase because it had successfully reduced non-revenue water (NRW) by more
than five per cent within a year, according to the concession agreement.
“If the Government does not give them that rise in tariff, they can demand
compensation.
“For 2006, it (the compensation) is RM152mil; RM170mil for 2007 and RM190mil
for 2008.”
Dr Lim said when Syabas took over from PUAS, it had also inherited a
RM2.3bil debt.
To a question, he said it was up to the state to decide when to increase the
tariff. However, the state must still pay Syabas the 2006 compensation.
“The announcement should have been made on Jan 1 this year. We were late
because the auditors took until August to review the NRW,” he said.
Dr Lim emphasised that the ministry would not allow Syabas to backdate water
bills.
He said an agreement had been reached where the state would pay them in the
form of grants instead of cash compensation, especially to replace and
change pipes.
According to Dr Lim, 42% of consumers would not be affected as their water
consumption was below 20 cubic metres per month.
“Industries will have to pay the new rate,” he said.
Syabas chief operating officer Datuk Lee Miang Koi said it would issue a
full explanation on the tariff increases tomorrow
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