Speaking to the media yesterday, Marine and Water Bureau (DSAMA) Director Susana Wong Soi Man reaffirmed that the government has no plans to increase tap water charges this year.
Wong said that the charges were subject to the city’s socio-economic recovery and residents’ affordability and, therefore, for the time being there was no timetable for a possible increase.
Macau’s tap water charges were last raised in 2016, Wong pointed out. She noted that, however, there have been several rounds of increases in the price of raw water supplied to Macau from the mainland, with the current price of raw water costing 2.59 yuan (2.94 patacas) per cubic metre.
Macau is almost completely dependent on the raw water supplies from Guangdong.
Wong said that the mainland authorities adjust the price of raw water supplied to Macau every three years subject to the consumer price index (CPI) over the past three years and the cost of electricity, adding that this year’s raw water price will be increased by 7 percent.
The government’s tap water subsidy has also increased cumulatively, amounting to over 200 million patacas annually in recent years, Wong pointed out.
The growth rate of Macau’s tap water consumption slowed down during the three-year COVID-19 pandemic period, said Wong, who was quick to add: “But with the relaxation of Macau’s novel coronavirus prevention measures and economic recovery, water consumption has slowly been rising in recent months”.
Wong made the remarks after yesterday’s Macao Water The 1st “Customer Liaison Group” Meeting in 2023 at MGM MACAU in Nape.
Tap water supply rises 7 pct in May: Macao Water
Meanwhile, Macao Water Executive Director Nacky Kuan Sio Peng said after yesterday’s meeting that the utility’s tap water supply over the past five months had increased by 2.3 percent compared with the same period last year, adding that the tap water supply increased by 7 percent year on year in May, with the largest amount of about 290,000 cubic metres having been supplied on May 31.
Kuan noted that the city’s commercial water consumption has risen by 4 percent so far this year, among which the water consumption by Macau’s six integrated resort operators has “basically” returned to the pre-pandemic level.
Macau’s overall tap water supply has fallen by about 10 percent since 2020, according to Kuan.
Macau confirmed its first COVID-19 case in January 2020.
Kuan said she expects the consumption of tap water to peak next month and in August, with an annual increase of “four to five” percent expected this year.
Kuan noted that as of last month, the company has spent about five million patacas to subsidise the tap water supply equipment repairs of nearly 300 residential buildings under its 10-million-pataca Subsidy Programme for Repairing Service Connections of Low-Rise Buildings, benefiting about 4,000 households that only needed to pay about 100 patacas each for the repairs.
Marine and Water Bureau (DSAMA) Director Susana Wong Soi Man speaks to reporters after yesterday’s Macao Water The 1st “Customer Liaison Group” Meeting in 2023 at MGM MACAU in Nape.
Macao Water Executive Director Nacky Kuan Sio Peng talks to the media yesterday after the utility’s 1st “Customer Liaison Group” meeting this year at MGM MACAU in Nape.
– Photos courtesy of TDM
