KUCHING: The Sarawak government plans to introduce a surcharge to reduce water waste.
Utility and Telecommunication Minister Datuk Julaihi Narawi said that the average use of water in the state had reached 35,000 litres per month for domestic use, which was relatively high.
Julaihi explained the introduction of surcharge was one of the choices being studied by his ministry.
“The surcharge is being studied and researched by the ministry. If this is implemented, it will not be a new thing as other states and countries have enforced this regulation.
“This is also a way to reduce the wastage of water supplies in the future. Water is a very important asset and necessity in our daily life,”Julaihi told reporters after attending the ministry’s Gawai Raya Celebration ceremony at Imperial Hotel on last night.
Also present was his deputy minister Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi.
Apart from that, Julaihi also said the government had so far provided high subsidies for the supply of treated water to domestic consumers which amounted to RM305 million for 2020 to 2021.
“This is equivalent to the government bearing as much as 44 cents to 61 cents per thousand litres of water.
“This shows that the state government is deeply concerned with the basic need of the people,” he said.
In addition, he said, on average, one urban resident used 270 litres of water per day equivalent to 32,400 litres for a household, whereas an individual in the rural area used 160 litres per day or 19,200 litre per household.
