SHAH ALAM, 16 June: Today, the Selangor Government reiterated its stand to not increase the water tariff for at least five years although it has been said that Selangor has been facing water supply problems for a long time.
The Chief Minister, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, said that the State Government’s target now leads towards the termination of existing water concession agreements signed by Selangor and the concessionaires before 2008.
He said that even if the agreements with the concessionaires continue, the water tariff may increase from RM1.39 per cubic metre to RM3.83.
“Only the first adjustment is accepted because it was (previously) approved. But the second adjustment, the State Government did not accept it and there was no increase at the time.
“The State Government is of the opinion that the restructuring of the water services industry is needed to ensure that there is no increase in (the price of) water, in accordance with the agreement with the Selangor Water Supply Company (Syabas),” he said when answering oral questions from Tiew Way Keng (DAP-Teratai) regarding the water tariff.
Abdul Khalid said that currently, the State Government is actively reviewing and re-arranging operational costs, especially in the purchase of treated water, and promises to impose water tariffs at a reasonable price.
He said that the newly-created structure also ensures that priority is given to improvement and efficiency of services, to enhance integrity, competitiveness and sustainability and to reduce the rate of non-revenue water (NRW) to 15%.
“We have involved Water Asset Management Berhad (PAAB) at the early stages in the acquisition and restructuring process and it is in progress to ensure the implementation of the agreement,” said Khalid, who is also the Assemblyman for Port Klang.
Meanwhile, when commenting on the water supply problem that is still happening in the area of Zone 24, Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ), Abdul Khalid said that it is due to low water pressure from the corrosion of main pipes and communication pipes in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.
However, he said that the State Government has set up a new team to find out logistical problems, in terms of the flow of raw water in Selangor and ways to overcome it.
“Based on answers from Syabas, the main pipes and communication pipes in Selangor, the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, are mostly over 40 years old and there is internal corrosion in pipes, causing the pipeline to be narrow and small.
“Therefore, water cannot be channelled to the premises of consumers sufficiently, causing water pressure to be low. However, the problem will be resolved soon,” he added.
NS
