New tariff for water being planned

KUALA LUMPUR: The National Water Services Commission (SPAN) is in the process of drawing up a new water tariff.
Its chief executive officer Datuk Teo Yen Hua said that the commission would take about six months to a year to put the new tariff in place.
“The
new water tariff would be more transparent and structured, and will be
tied up with the key performance indicators put in place by SPAN.
“We
need to have a very structured tariff mechanism so that we know what
the costs are, and if those costs are efficient. Looking at the long
term, we know there is a need for us to ensure that we put in enough
investment to replace all the old pipes, which is a problem that all
states are facing,” Teo said at a press briefing after the opening of
the Water Malaysia Conference and Exhibition 2013 in Kuala Lumpur
yesterday.
He said that before implementation, the commission
would consult all concerned stakeholders and consumers, including the
regulators.
“From there, we will try to refine and improve the system,” he said.
Malaysian Water Association (MWA) president Ahmad Zahdi Jamil said he believed that the structured tariff mechanism was the most appropriate way to increase efficiency in the industry.
“As a non-governmental organisation, our stand is simple; there is a cost that comes with delivering water to homes,” he said.
However, Ahmad Zahdi said subsidies for the less fortunate could be put in place.
Teo said that according to the World Health Organisation, water usage was about 160 litres a day per person.
“A certain block of water is required by everyone. We need to ensure that everyone can still afford that,” he said.
Ahmad
Zahdi added: “According to world standards, at least 3% to 5% of a
person's disposable income is taken up for the water bill.”
Meanwhile, Pengurusan Aset Air Bhd (PAAB) has formally launched its Water Asset Management Systems (WAMS), which helps to identify assets and their value, among others.
The centralised system combines three major components geographic information system, water assets and land management.
The Water Malaysia Conference and Exhibition 2013, organised by MWA and Protemp Exhibition Sdn Bhd, runs till tomorrow.
It
aims to address the issue of sustainability and efficiency of water and
waste-water management. It is also set to promote sustainable water
management across the entire cycle of water management, from source to
distribution as well as water recycling and reuse.
The theme for this year is “The Right Price for Quality Service”. More than 150 exhibitors are participating in the exhibition.