Former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng has mooted reimposing surcharges as a means of tackling water waste.
This is after a recent water tariff hike by Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP), which is reportedly partly aimed at reducing excessive consumption.
“PBAPP wants to prevent water wastage with the new tariff hike apart from earning additional revenue of nearly RM100 million.
“One possible alternative, without any loss of additional revenue to PBAPP, is to readjust the water tariffs to a more reasonable level and reimpose the water conservation surcharge to penalise those who waste water.
“Then water wastage can be reduced and PBAPP can still get its additional revenue,” Lim said on his Facebook today.
The new water rates in Penang are 62 sen for the first 20 cubic metres (up 182 percent from 22 sen), RM1.17 for the second band above 20 cubic metres to 35 cubic metres (up 154 percent from 46 sen) and RM2.07 for the third band of more than 35 cubic metres.
Lim said that the highest increase he has received a complaint about was from RM10.64 to RM54.
PBAPP CEO K Pathmanathan, in a statement on Saturday, said the water concessionaire needed additional funds to undertake projects aimed at ensuring future water supply and security for Penang.
“Any water rate delay or rebate will reduce PBAPP’s funding.
“Accordingly, such water rate delays or rebates will delay or compromise PBAPP’s implementation of water supply engineering solutions for the benefit of Penang,” he said. - Mkini
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