Water Rates to Rise 4.5 Percent in July

Water rates are likely to rise 4.5 percent all through the country from July 1st.

The Ministry of Construction and Transportation (MOCT) decided to raise the rate of water, which the Korea Water Resources Corporation (KWRC) purveyed for local municipals, by 21 percent to 235 won from 194 won per a ton, and the Reservoir-supplied raw water rate by 24 percent to 38 won from 30 won per one ton. MCT will bring the bill to the `rates deliberation committee` on the 11th, and put it into operation from July after consulting with authorities concerned and the party-government consultation.

As a result, every local municipal, which is purveying city water using national water supply facilities, cannot avoid increasing the water rates due to the increase of the cost.

Roh Jae-Hwa Chief of Water Resources Policy Division in MOCT said, “it may cause the increase of rates by 4.5 percent all through the country. The water rates for each home my rise 446 won (4.5 percent) from 9,930 won a month.” MOCT plans to raise the water rates to 87 percent of the cost this year, 94 percent in 2003, and finally 100 percent in 2004.

Jae-Seong Hwang jsonhng@donga.com