KUALA LUMPUR: Six states have agreed to increase water tariff rates in line with the government’s efforts to restructure the water supply services industry, Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister, Dr A. Xavier Jayakumar (pix), told the Dewan Rakyat today.
He said the agreement was reached through negotiations with each state government and the National Water Services Commission (SPAN).
He did not say which states they were, but that discussions were still taking place and “soon, two more states will agree to raise their water tariff”.
He was answering a question from Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin (BN-Kinabatangan) who wanted to know the ministry’s justification for increasing the tariff and the ceiling price for each state.
According to Dr Xavier, the water tariff nationwide should have been raised two or five years ago because it has failed to offset annual operating costs, putting some water operators in a financially difficult position to provide quality water services.
On the ceiling price, he said it varies according to the state and operational capacity, among other things. — Bernama
