Beijing will increase its average water price to 6 yuan
(US$0.73) per cubic meter in 2005 as a measure to soothe the city's
serious water shortage pressure, sources with the municipal water
affairs office said.
The newly-established office integrates the formerly separate
departments dealing with water source, supply, saving, drainage and
waste water treatment so as to utilize water resources more
efficiently.
Beijing raised the household water price to 4.07 yuan (US$0.49)
from the previous 2.9 yuan (US$0.35) per cubic meter in2003. This
year, the price grew to about 5 yuan (US$0.6) per cubic meter, and
will go on raising later, according to the Beijing Waterworks Group
Ltd.
Though the price is going up, Jiao Zhizhong, the director of the
office, said the municipal government will adopt a differentiated
charging system on water consumption, which means those consuming
more water than average should pay more, and those using water
within certain quota can pay at a lower price, as a way to ease the
financial burden of poor citizens. By paying more, people will
become more aware of the value of water, Jiao said.
Official statistics show that China's per capita possession of
fresh water resources stands at a mere 2,200 cubic meters, nearly
one quarter of the world average.
However, in 2002, water consumption for every 10,000 yuan
(US$1,200) of GDP realized in China reached 540 cubic meters, four
times the world average level.
Jia Danbing, a deputy to the National People's Congress, China's
top legislature, said that in 40 percent of Chinese metropolises,
at least 12 percent of the water supply is lost due to pipeline
leakage and unthrifty users.
To this perplexing and worrisome situation, Jia suggested the
government taking immediate actions such as raising the water price
to intensify people's water-saving awareness, encouraging more
inventions and a wider use of water saving devices to solve the
problem.
(Xinhua News Agency May 23, 2004)