Perak govt reassessing 10% discount on water bills

IPOH: The Perak government is reassessing its provision of 10% discount on monthly water bills for domestic use following objections from the public.
The facility is limited to consumption of not more than 20 cubic metres or 20,000 litres and due to take effect next month.
Perak Mentri Besar Ahmad Faizal Azumu said many were of the view that the 10% discount should not be given because it would encourage wastage of the precious commodity.
"That is good feedback ...so as a responsible government we must make a wise decision," he told a press conference after chairing a meeting of the Perak Water Board (LAP) here today.
Pursuant to that, Ahmad Faizal said the matter was deliberated at the meeting and that the LAP was instructed to come up with a working paper for the state executive council so that the council could make a final decision.
He said, for now, the discount applied for next month's bills and further information on it would be announced later.
On the provision of 25 cubic metres or 25,000 litres for free to needy households effective next month, Ahmad Faizal it was still on.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Faizal said LAP recorded a nett profit of RM36.19 million in the first six months of this year (H1) as compared to RM32.80 million in H1 last year.
Sale of water increased to RM170.80 million (Jan-June) as compared to RM164.62 million in H1 last year.
"Since subsidies (on water bills) were given to poor households in Perak in the last 10 years, LAP spent RM9.6 million from Jan 1-July 17, 2018 subsidising the water bills of 11,544 families," he said. — Bernama