The Malaysian Insight

PENANG’S state government said its move to raise water tariffs comes as Putrajaya continues to push for steps to to reduce the high water consumption in the state.

Penang’s domestic water consumption is the highest in the country at 276 litres per capita per day in 2017, much higher than the national average of 201 litres per capita per day.

Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) chief executive officer Jaseni Maidinsa said despite continuous pressure from the federal government to cut down on water consumption, the state had only raised tariffs once in 2015 since Pakatan Harapan (PH) took over.

Domestic consumers in Penang now pay 32 sen for every 1,000 litres up to 35,000 litres. Those who use over the first 35,000 litres will pay a 48 sen water conservation surcharge (WCS).

The WCS was introduced in 2010 to encourage domestic users to conserve water. The surcharge was set at 24 sen per 1,000 litres before it was raised to 48 sen in 2013.

The surcharge, which was strongly opposed by residents then, was also imposed on the request of the then-minister in charge of water, said Jaseni.

“We were only following orders to reduce the water consumption in this water-stressed state. Now we are using 276 litres per capita per day, the highest in the country.

“It is nothing to be proud of because we are way above the 201 national average. In Singapore, the water consumption is only 143 litres per capita per day, which is under the United Nations recommendation,” he said.

Without the surcharge WCS, the water consumption would have increased to a projected 319 litres per capita per day, Jaseni said.

Recently, former prime minister Najib Razak voiced criticism towards Penang’s plans to charge more for water as it would burden the poor.

However, Jaseni denied that the tariff increase would burden the hardcore poor when such households received free water up to 60,000 litres per cycle.

On Monday, Penang chief minister Chow Kon Yeow, who is also PBAPP chairman, said the increase in tariff would allow the corporation to gain more revenue to fund five major water engineering projects, which would cost RM501 million and were to be undertaken this year until 2021.

Yesterday, he said PBAPP would also spend less on water subsidies so the corporation would be better able to fund the projects that would safeguard Penang’s future water supply. – January 16, 2019.