The much-awaited National Water Services Commission (Span) Bill 2006 and the Water Services Industry (WSI) Bill 2006 were tabled for the first reading in the Dewan Rakyat today.

The bills were tabled by Energy, Water and Communications Minister Dr Lim Keng Yaik himself. Both bills are slated for their second reading and to be passed in the current session.

Early last year, the government pushed through constitutional amendments which effectively put water under shared federal and state jurisdiction.

The two controversial bills, however, were put on hold since late last year to allow the ministry to gather feedback from the public who feared the two bills would pave the way for water privatisation.

Nonetheless, a majority of the recommendations by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were not adopted under the amended bills and there are no major changes.

Under the new proposed Span bill, the chief executive officer and the chairperson of the water services commission will now be separate individuals as recommended by NGOs.

However, the commission will remain responsible only to the concerned minister and will not be answerable to the cabinet or Parliament as demanded by the NGOs.

The functions of Span include advising the minister on all matters in relation to water supply and sewerage services laws and to implement them. It is also to ensure the productivity of water supply services and the sewerage services industry and monitor operator compliance with stipulated service standards.

Span will also advise the minister on a 'fair and efficient' mechanism for the determination of water tariffs.

Water forum to be formed

Under the WSI bill tabled, it was stated that it was the duty of every water supply service licensee to maintain an 'efficient and economical' water supply system.

However, consumers will have no right to demand compensation from the licensee if their water quality is not up to standard, a recommendation made by the NGOs.

The NGOs' also demanded a definition for 'minimum standard of water quality' as 'approved by the minimum water quality supervisor' but this, too, was not adopted.

The bill instead states: '.... the water distribution licensee shall, when supplying water to any premise, ensure that at the time of supply the quality of water supplied complies with the minimum quality standard as prescribed by the minister'.

The NGOs' recommendation that water supply companies and the government ensure the interest of disabled people groups, the retired and the low-income groups was not adopted either.

A licensee only has a general duty to '... deal reasonably with consumers and adequately address consumer complaints' when dealing with consumers.

The bill said a 'water forum' will be established under it to give feedback and recommend to the commission on any matter concerning consumers' interest in water supply and sewerage services.

It is also meant to promote consumers' concern over tariffs and standards of the two services.

Membership of the 'water forum' is open to 'all persons' but there was no assurance whether parties representing the licensees would be barred from sitting on the forum.

A few parliamentarians, when approached for comment, said they felt there were no major changes in the bills but declined to elaborate saying they needed more time to study the bills.