GEORGE TOWN: After a year-long deferment, over 80% of domestic consumers in Penang will pay up to RM2.55 more on their bi-monthly water bills from July 1.
Penang infrastructure committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari, who announced this, said a registered account holder of a typical household using about 35,000 litres of water will pay RM32.50, up from RM29.95.
He said about 82% of households in the state used 35,000 litres of water or less, per billing cycle.
Under the revised tariff, he said the average domestic water rate for the first 35,000 litres per month will be 93sen per 1,000 litres, the second lowest in Malaysia.
Zairil said consumers using up to 20,000 litres per billing cycle will pay 65sen per 1,000 litres, up from 62sen currently, while those using between 20,000 and 35,000 litres will be charged RM1.30 per 1,000 litres.
Households exceeding 35,000 litres will pay RM2.21 per 1,000 litres. For non-domestic users including factories, hotels, shopping malls, businesses and government offices, those using 35,000 litres or less per bill will pay RM1.93 per 1,000 litres, up from RM1.57 currently.
“Those exceeding 35,000 litres will be charged RM2.31 per 1,000 litres, compared with the current rate of RM2.17 per 1,000 litres,” Zairil told a press conference at Komtar yesterday.
The average tariff for the first 500,000 litres per bill will be RM2.28 per 1,000 litres.
A non-domestic consumer using 500,000 litres per bill will pay RM1,141.70, compared with RM1,064 previously, resulting in a maximum increase of RM77.70.
Zairil said for domestic bulk meter consumers, the flat rate will increase from RM1.73 to RM1.92 per 1,000 litres, with a minimum charge of RM19.20 per bill.
For shipping, the flat rate will increase from RM7.07 to RM8.01 per 1,000 litres, with a minimum charge of RM80.10 per bill, he added.
“For houses of worship and welfare institutions, the flat rate will remain at 67sen per 1,000 litres, with a minimum charge of RM6.70.”
Zairil said the revision was necessary to sustain water supply services, fund critical infrastructure projects and encourage water conservation.
Last year, households accounted for 55.7% of the state’s total daily water consumption.
Penang’s per capita domestic water consumption stood at 267 litres per capita per day (LCD) last year, the highest in the country, compared with the national average of 225 LCD in 2024.
Penang Water Supply Corp (PBAPP) chief executive officer Datuk K. Pathmanathan said the revised tariffs were expected to generate an additional RM20mil in revenue for PBAPP and PBA Holdings Bhd for the second half of 2026.
“Any additional profits will be largely reinvested as capital expenditure for water projects in Penang,” he said.
Among the projects to be funded are the 114 million-litre-per-day (MLD) Mengkuang Park Water Treatment Plant (LRA) scheduled for completion by the year end, land acquisition for the 136 MLD Sungai Perai LRA and expansion works at the 1,342 MLD Sungai Dua LRA.
Other projects include a dedicated treated water pipeline from Macallum to Bukit Dumbar and the proposed 114 MLD Sungai Muda LRA, both forming part of the Water Contingency Plan 2030.
