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WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 1994

"IN EFFECT, IT PROVIDES A SAFETY NET FOR DESERVING PERSONS WHO MAY HAVE BEEN OVERLOOKED IN A WILL OR HAVE NOT BEEN PROPERLY CATERED FOR UNDER THE LAW OF INTESTACY.

SCOPE

THE OF

ti

MAIN EFFECTS OF THE BILL WERE, THEREFORE, то WIDEN THE PERSONS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR FINANCIAL PROVISION FROM A DECEASED'S ESTATE AND TO GIVE THE COURT GREATER POWERS TO FACILITATE THE MAKING OF SUCH FINANCIAL PROVISION, SHE SAID.

DEBATE ON THE BILLS WAS ADJOURNED.

0

BILL TO RECOVER OPERATING COSTS OF SEWAGE SERVICES

A BILL SEEKING TO ENABLE THE INTRODUCTION OF A CHARGING

TO RECOVER THE OPERATING COSTS OF SEWAGE SERVICES WAS INTRODUCED THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SCHEME INTO

BILL, THE

MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE SEWAGE SERVICES SECRETARY FOR PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS, MR TONY EASON, SAID THE PROPOSED CHARGING SCHEME REFLECTED THE POLLUTER-PAYS PRINCIPLE.

THE BILL PROVIDES FOR THE IMPOSITION OF SEWAGE CHARGES ON CONSUMERS WHOSE PREMISES ARE CONNECTED TO PUBLIC SEWERS.

ARE

TWO CHARGING ELEMENTS, A FIXED CHARGE AND A VARIABLE CHARGE, PROPOSED TO ENABLE AN EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF SERVICE AMONG USERS.

COSTS

AND

THE FIXED CHARGE IS TO RECOVER THE COST OF THE OPERATION MAINTENANCE OF THE SEWERAGE SYSTEM. IT WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE CONSUMER'S CATEGORY AND WATER METER SIZE.

THE VARIABLE CHARGE, WHICH IS TO RECOVER THE SEWAGE COST, WILL BE BASED ON WATER CONSUMPTION.

TREATMENT

THE BILL ALSO PROPOSES TO EXEMPT THOSE LOW-USER HOUSEHOLDS USING 13 CUBIC METRES OF WATER OR LESS IN A FOUR-MONTH BILLING PERIOD FROM SEWAGE CHARGES AS UNDER THE PRESENT WATER TARIFF.

ABOUT 17 PER CENT OF HOUSEHOLDS WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS

EXEMPTION.

то KEEP DOWN THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS, SEWAGE CHARGES WILL BE INCORPORATED IN THE WATER BILLS ISSUED BY THE DIRECTOR OF WATER SUPPLIES.

THE EXISTING BILLING SYSTEM AND CONSUMER SERVICE UNIT FOR WATER SERVICES WILL BE EXPANDED FOR THIS PURPOSE.

THE BILL ALSO PROVIDES FOR THE IMPOSITION OF A TRADE SURCHARGE WHICH WILL REFLECT THE ADDITIONAL COST OF TREATMENT FOR MORE POLLUTING TRADE EFFLUENTS.

EFFLUENT PROVIDING

/IF A

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