The Penang Water Authority or Perbadanan Bekalan Air Pulau Pinang (PBAPP) has refuted a state MCA claim that the state’s water tariffs were raised at least three times in the last seven years.

PBAPP and PBA Holdings Bhd chief executive officer Jaseni Maidinsa said the allegation by MCA Penang liaison committee chairperson Chew Mei Fun was “untrue and incorrect”.

In her statement, Chew questioned Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who is also PBAPP president, why water tariffs in the state were increased at least three times in seven years, although he “advertises himself as a people-orientated government”.

Jaseni ( left ) said there was only one previous review, in 2010, and it only involved reviewing trade tariffs to cross-subsidise Penang’s low domestic tariffs.

“Domestic tariffs were not reviewed in 2010. In 2010, PBAPP also introduced the Water Conservation Surcharge (WCS) in Penang.

“However, this WCS only affects domestic water consumers who use more than 35,000 litres a month,” Jaseni said in a statement today.

“In 2013, the WCS was reviewed from RM0.24 per 1,000 litres to RM0.48 per 1,000 litres, only for consumption above 35,000 litres per month,” he said.

Jaseni said the WCS should not be confused with a tariff review because domestic consumers can avoid the WCS if they use less than 35,000 litres per month.

He noted that more than seven out of 10 (or 75.3 percent) of the domestic households in Penang use less than 35,000 litres of water a month.