XN000022-1985-05-23 — Page 10

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THURSDAY, MAY 23, 1985

+IN 1984-85, EXPENDITURE ON WATER CHARGES FOR 25 380 HOUSEHOLDS AT 35 OLDER THAS TOTALLED 23.9 MILLION.

+IN 1984-85, INCOME FROM THA RENTS WAS $43.6 MILLION, WHILE EXPENDITURE ON WATER AND MANAGEMENT AMOUNTED TO $65.5 MILLION. +

AND FOR SOME TIME, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE DEPARTMENT HAD BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT THE HIGHER LEVEL OF WATER CONSUMPTION OR WATER WASTAGE IN THAS WHERE INDIVIDUAL WATER SUPPLY WAS NOT METERED.

+RECORDS SHOW THAT THE COST OF WATER CONSUMPTION FOR ONE NON-METERED THA HOUSEHOLD IS ON AVERAGE $673 PER ANNUM, COMPARED WITH $209 FOR A METERED HOUSEHOLD.

+THIS ILLUSTRATES THAT WATER IS WASTED. AS THE AVERAGE WATER BILL COMES TO LESS THAN $1 A DAY AND AS RENTS IN THAS ARE NOT SUBJECT TO REGULAR REVIEW AND INCREASES. IT SHOULD BE WELL WITHIN THE MEANS OF THE TENANTS TO PAY FOR THEIR OWN CHARGES, IN LINE WITH THE PRACTICE IN THE NEWER THAS.+

THE SPOKESMAN SAID IT WAS NOW CONSIDERED THAT TAXPAYERS SHOULD NO LONGER SUBSIDISE THE WATER CONSUMPTION OF RESIDENTS OF THE OLDER THAS.

+RENTS FOR THESE THAS ARE VERY LOW AND INCLUDE ONLY A NOMINAL CHARGE OF $1.07 PER SQUARE METRE FOR WATER AND MANAGEMENT EXPENSES. THIS AMOUNT HARDLY COVERS THE RELEVANT EXPENDITURE INCURRED.

+WHILE EXISTING RENTS ARE $7.50 A SQUARE METRE PER MONTH FOR URBAN THAS AND $6.50 FOR RURAL THAS, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT IS PAYING $5.70 A SQUARE METRE PER MONTH AS WATER CHARGE FOR THE TENANTS.+

THE SPOKESMAN SAID METERED WATER SUPPLY WOULD BE INTRODUCED IN TURN TO THE 25 OLDER THAS BUILT BEFORE MARCH 1982, BUT NOT IN EIGHT OTHERS WHICH WERE SCHEDULED FOR CLEARANCE THIS YEAR.

+WITH THE DECISION TO INTRODUCE METERED WATER SUPPLY TO 25 OLDER THAS, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL SAVE A NET SUM OF ABOUT $20 MILLION A YEAR IN WATER CHARGES FOR THA RESIDENTS.

+ INDIVIDUAL TENANTS WILL BE GIVEN AT LEAST ONE MONTH'S NOTICE BEFORE METER INSTALLATION WORKS BEGIN. MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES AND OTHER LOCAL COMMUNITY GROUPS WILL ALSO BE BRIEFED.+

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