Saturday March 29, 2008
Free water from June 1
By DHARMENDER SINGH
SHAH ALAM: Domestic consumers in Selangor who are using individual meters will start enjoying free usage of water for the first 20 cu m from June 1.

Those whose supply is linked to bulk meters – including flat, apartment and condominium dwellers – will not enjoy the free water just yet.

Water distribution concessionaire Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) has been working to provide individual meters to those living in flats, apartments and condominiums but the process has been slow, as all the owners in a particular scheme would have to agree to the change before it can be implemented.

Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said in a statement yesterday that the state government had studied the proposal to provide the free water and had worked out a formula that would benefit the people, the state and the environment.

He said the study found that the state government could for now provide free water to households with individual meters.

The decision, he said, was to lessen the burden of the people, especially those in the lower income group.

“But consumers should use water wisely and responsibly to avoid wastage that will affect efforts to conserve the state’s water resources,” he added.

He said the state government would also soon diversify raw water sources as part of a move to conserve the state’s own resources.

Selangor has run out of rivers to tap for drinking water and has been working on an inter-state water transfer project with Pahang to ensure adequate supply in the future.

Syabas declined comment on the free water offer.

Meanwhile, the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) said in a statement that it had studied the Sungei Sireh Water Treatment Plant operation and maintenance agreement and “requires further information before arriving at a decision as to whether it is in compliance with the Water Services Industry Act 2006”.

The statement added that SPAN had received several agreements from Puncak Niaga (M) Sdn Bhd including the Sungei Sireh agreement.

The Sungei Sireh agreement was signed by the State Secretary on behalf of the Selangor State Government and Puncak Niaga on March 7, the statement said.