Malacca residents to pay more for water from April

Syarikat Air Melaka Berhad (SAMB) announced an increase in water tariff for the state effective April 1, 2011.
State Public Works and Amenities committee chairman Datuk Ab Karim Ab Sulaiman said Friday that the water price hike was prompted by the increase in production costs borne by SMAB to ensure uninterrupted water supply here.

He said that 85% of water consumers, who used less than 35,000 litres a month, would be charged RM0.95 per 1,000 litre, that is, three cent more than the old rate.

For the remaining 15% who used more than 50,000 litres per month their April water bills would go up between RM1.60 to RM5.20 as they would now have to pay RM1.45 per 1,000 litres, he said on Friday.

For industrial usage, a maximum charge of RM18 would be imposed on 90% of business premises that used 100,000 litres of water in a month.

Ab Karim said the remaining 10% would be charged a minimum of RM28 a month for usage that exceeded the 100,000 litres.

For places of worship, the charge was RM0.55 for every 1,000 litres while Government premises would be charged RM1.30 for every 1,000 litres, he said.

The increase was gazetted under the Water Services Industry Regulations (Water Supply Services Rates)(Malacca State) 2010 on November 1, 2010, he said.

Malacca is the fourth state to announce new water tariffs after Kedah, Penang and Johor. - THESTAR