Penang water rates likely to go up

Lim says move is to reduce domestic usage

GEORGE TOWN: Some 126,000 households in Penang, especially large families, may have to pay a lot more for their water as the state will be increasing the water conservation surcharge.

This will be the fourth time that the state is raising the price of water, with the conservation surcharge possibly going up from 48 sen to RM1 per thousand litres should the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) allow it.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the state government planned to increase this to reduce domestic water usage.

This surcharge affects home users using more than 35,000 litres per month.

“We will apply to the National Water Services Commission to allow us to increase the surcharge,” he told reporters after launching World Water Day 2017 at the Quarry Park in Penang Botanic Gardens here yesterday.

Lim, who is Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) chairman, said he had received criticisms from non- governmental groups which wanted the state to increase water tariffs as a water conservation strategy.

“We accept their criticisms but we suggest a middle ground and that is to increase the water conservation surcharge instead,” said Lim yesterday.

PBAPP chief executive officer Datuk Jaseni Maidinsa said the surcharge would affect about 126,000 households out of a total of 504,400 because they used over 35,000 litres a month each.

“Your water bill is read once every two months.

“So, if it shows that you used 70,000 litres, you will have to pay the surcharge for every 1,000 litres exceeding that,” he said.

State MCA chairman Datuk Tan Teik Cheng said he had directed party members to check on large families.

“This will hit large families hard and we will check to see how much more they must pay for water,” he said, criticising the move was a poor way to enforce water conservation.

“A small household can be wasteful but do not use more than 35,000 litres.

“A large household can try its best to conserve water but still use more than that simply because they have no choice.

“So, increasing the surcharge may penalise big families that are likely to be in the lower income group too,” said Tan.

Tan said he was disappointed with the state government because of the frequent water price increases.

In the 18 years that former Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon was in charge, Tan said the water price had only gone up once.