BI-MONTHLY BILLING: CLAIMS THAT PENANG USERS PAY MORE UNTRUE - PBAPP

GEORGE TOWN, April 26 (Bernama) -- The Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) has refuted claims that water users in the state pay more for water supply services because bills are issued on a bi-monthly basis.

PBAPP chief executive officer K. Pathmanathan explained that the water rate was either the same or even lower whether it was billed monthly or bi-monthly.

He said that PBAPP has been issuing some of its water bills on a bi-monthly basis since its corporatisation on March 1, 1999, more than 25 years ago, primarily for cost-efficiency purposes.

bootstrap slideshow

“PBAPP saves costs by issuing bills on a bi-monthly basis because for the majority of Penang households, water bills are ‘relatively cheap’ when compared to TNB bills for electricity, Astro bills for satellite TV services and mobile phone bills for a family.

“Nevertheless, PBAPP’s bi-monthly water bills are calculated exactly in accordance with federal regulations, in regard to the “m3 per month” basis. Hence, the same water rates are charged in monthly and bi-monthly water bills in Penang,” he said in a statement today.

Pathmanathan said that PBAPP was billing for water supply services in Penang in accordance with federal government regulations that were published on Jan 31 this year.

He added that since 2011, when Penang migrated to the National Water Services Industry Restructuring Initiative (NWSIRI), PBAPP has been compelled to follow federal regulations as a licensed water supply operator.

“Since Feb 1, PBAPP has announced the new water rates for Penang according to specific categories of water consumption. The new rate for domestic use of water up to 35 m3 per month is RM1.17 per m3 (1,000 litres) and the minimum monthly charge is RM6.20,” he said.

The new tariff also applies to other categories of water usage, effective from Feb 1.

This includes the rate for domestic bulk meter, set at a flat rate of RM1.73 per m3 with a minimum charge of RM17.30 per month.

Pathmanathan said that for non-domestic usage of up to 35 m3, the charge is RM1.57 per m3, while usage exceeding 35 m3 incurs a rate of RM2.17 per m3, and the minimum charge is RM15.70 per month.

“Houses of worship and social institutions have a flat fee of 67 sen per m3 and a minimum charge of RM6.70 per month, while shipping incurs a flat rate of RM7.07 per m3, with a minimum charge of RM70.70 per month,” he said.

According to Pathmanathan, water rates have been revised concurrently in 10 other Malaysian states and 3 federal territories, not just in Penang.

He also said that Penang’s average domestic water rate for the first 35 m3 per month is the second lowest in Malaysia.

Pathmanathan said that PBAPP is expected to generate additional revenue from the 2024 water rates, which will primarily be used to help fund urgent water supply infrastructure development projects in support of the state government’s Penang 2030. 

“Among the projects are PBAPP’s Water Contingency Plan 2030 projects to tap three additional secondary raw water resources (the Expanded Mengkuang Dam, Sungai Kerian and Sungai Perai) as well as to increase water treatment capacity in Seberang Perai and treated water pumping capacity to Penang Island.

“A new 1,350 mm Sungai Perai ‘River-crossing’ pipeline; additional 400 million litre per day (MLD) pipelines to boost the drawdown capacity of the Expanded Mengkuang Dam to 1,000 MLD in order to minimise the threats of future Sungai Muda mishaps; and pipeline replacement projects to avoid unscheduled water supply interruptions and reduce non-revenue water losses,” he said.

-- BERNAMA