Sabah water tariffs to increase effective Jan 1

KOTA KINABALU - Consumers in Sabah will have to fork more for their water bills if they exceed their basic consumption needs under new water tariffs from Jan 1, 2015.

Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan said that the current flat rate of 90 sen per cubic metre of water, which has remained unchanged since 1982 would now be restructured in efforts to meet growing cost of water management while encouraging water conservation.

He said that the average household needs about 21 cubic metres of water monthly for cooking, drinking, personal cleanliness among other home use and under the new tariff billing would be based on a block tariff method where consumers would pay cheaper rates if they used less water.

Under the new water tariff structure, rates would be divided into 11 main categories, namely, Domestic 1 (individual domestic), Domestic 2 (apartment, condominiums with facilities/bulk metre) and Domestic 3 (flats without facility/bulk metre).

The other categories were commercial (services, businesses and offices), industry (factory and others) government, houses of worship, welfare, water depot, shipping and emergency.

Pairin, who is state Infrastructure Minister, announced the new tariffs during winding-up of the RM3.8bil 2015 budget.

He said under the new revised rates, for Domestic 1 was 30 sen per cubic metre will be charged for the first block not exceeding 10 cubic metres, 60 sen for each cubic metre for the second the second block of 11-20 cubic metres, RM1.10 for each cubic metre for the third block of 21-35 cubic metres and RM1.30 per cubic metre for the fourth block of 36-60 cubic metres while those using more then 60 cubic metres would be charged RM1.80 per cubic metre.

Those under Domestic 2 will pay a flat rate of RM1.30 per cubic metre while those under Domestic 3 comprising of middle and low cost housing and flats would pay 90 sen per cubic metre.

Commercial and industrial consumers would have to pay RM1.60 per cubic metre for 70 cubic metres and RM12 for more then 70 cubic metres for monthly usage while for state and federal government premises will pay RM1.20 per cubic metre while houses worship would pay 50 sen per cubic metre.