KUALA LUMPUR: Water prices rose an average of 2.0 per cent in Southern Asia and 3.9 per cent in East Asia and the Pacific from 2025 to 2026, according to a global survey that cited Malaysia as an example of progress in recovering utility costs.
The Global Water Tariff Survey 2026, published by Global Water Intelligence (GWI), covers prices in 1,069 cities across 189 countries. It is GWI’s largest survey to date, with each city priced on the same basis to allow direct comparison.
The survey found that Malaysia’s phased tariff increases helped Indah Water Konsortium, the country’s national sewerage company, reach full operating cost recovery at the company level, according to the survey. However, households still pay below cost, and the expansion of rural sewerage relies on government funding.
"It is clear that water price stagnation remains a persistent challenge across Asia. Yet Malaysia’s recent progress on wastewater pricing offers an encouraging example of what sustained political commitment and public engagement can achieve in improving a utility’s financial sustainability,” said GWI Asia Editor, Charlotte Christian in a statement.
Utilities worldwide are increasingly focusing on wastewater tariffs, which remain lower than water tariffs in every region except North America, even though wastewater systems cost more to run.
Globally, water prices rose by an average of 5.6 per cent, with Eastern Europe and North America again exceeding that figure. Southern Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa struggled to keep increases above inflation.
Major cities including Tokyo, Beijing, Shanghai, New Delhi and Mumbai recorded no price change. In Central Asia, inflation driven by trade route disruptions and economic challenges pushed prices up 44.7 per cent in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and 11.3 per cent in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
Kazakhstan suspended utility price increases from October 2025 to April 2026, which also suspended its block pricing system. As a result, combined prices fell by more than 20 per cent in Almaty and Astana.
GWI said water prices across the region remain far below the estimated cost of providing water and wastewater services. - Bernama
