XN000022-1975-02-26 — Page 13

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1975

HIGHER WATER CHARGES PROPOSED

EIGHTY PERCENT OF CONSUMERS NOT AFFECTED

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THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE BON. PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, TODAY

D ANNOUNCED PROPOSALS FOR AN INCREASE IN WATER CHARGES UNIGA STRESSED, WOULD AFFECT ONLY ADOUT 20 PER CENT OF THE DOMESTIC CONSUMERS.

HIS PROPOSED NEW WATER CHARGE STRUCTURE IS AS FOLLOWS:

* THE PRESENT FREE SUPPLY OF 2,700 GALLONS THROUGH EACH DOMESTIC METER IN A FOUR-MONTI BILLING PERIOD WILL DE MAINTAINED-

*

A CONSUMER USING 14,000 GALLONS OR LESS THROUGH EACH DOMESTIC METER IN A FOUR-MONTI BILLING PERIOD WILL CONTINUE TO PAY THE EXISTING CHARGE OF $3 PER 1,000 GALLONS, AND 80 PER CENT OF THE DOMESTIC CONSUMERS STAY WITHIN THIS 14,000-GALLON LIMIT AND THEY WILL NOT PAY ANY MORE=

* A CONSUMER USING MORE THAN 14,000 GALLONS WITHIN THE

BILLING PERIOD, HE WILL PAY, AS AT PRESENT, THE CURRENT RATE OF $3 PER 1,000 GALLONS FOR WATER CONSUMED UP TO THAT LEVEL. FOR WATER CONSUMED ABOVE THIS 14,000 GALLON LEVEL, HE WILL HAVE TO PAY ACCORDING TO THE NEW RATE, THAT IS, $6 PER 1,000 GALLONS.

THESE CONSUMERS REPRESENT ONLY 20 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL, BUT USE ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF THE DOMESTIC SUPPLY.

THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY SAID THEY ARE THE TAKERS OF BATHS, RATHER THAN SHOWERS, AND THE OWNERS OF WASHING MACHINES AND WASHING-UP MACHINES, BOTH OF WHICH CONSUME FAR MORE WATER THAN DOES WASHING BY HAND.

+IN OTHER WORDS, THEY ARE A GROUP WHICH CAN AFFORD TO PAY FOR THE STRAIN THEY IMPOSE ON OUR EVER MORE EXPENSIVE SUPPLY SYSTEM.+

HE SAID THESE PROPOSALS WOULD YIELD AN EXTRA $22 MILLION IN 1975-76 AFTER ALLOWING FOR LAGS IN THE BILLING SYSTEM.

MR. HADDON-CAVE ALSO CITED EXAMPLES OF HOW THE NEW CHARGES WOULD AFFECT THE CONSUMERS.

THOSE NOW PAYING $34 OR LESS WOULD PAY NO MORE THAN THEY ARE NOW. BUT IF A FAMILY USES 60 GALLONS A HEAD A DAY, IT WILL PAY $190 RATHER THAN ITS PRESENT $112.

THE BILLS OF