Water tariff to rise 50% next month

The Ministry of Water and Electricity will raise by 50 percent tariff for water and sanitation services provided for government bodies and large industrial and commercial establishments as of Dec. 16.

The ministry has set special pricing for water for those who benefit from water service only, and another pricing for those benefiting from both services.
The price of both services will be calculated by the water meter, where SR3 has been added to beneficiaries of the services. Receipt fees will remain unchanged. 

An official at the ministry said residential houses are excluded from the increase.
The source added that the Ministry of Water and Electricity plans to apply the new tariff and improve sanitation services as of Dec. 16 in all regions of the Kingdom as a way to reduce the high rate of water consumption and rationalize its use.
The change in pricing will depend on the amount of water consumed per month. The new tariff will be SR9 per cubic meter in case users benefit from both water and sanitation services and SR6 per cubic meter in case consumers use only the water service. The cost will depend on the water consumption amount and the number of meters.

The ministry stressed that the studies carefully prepared during re-pricing will have a minor financial impact and will not negatively affect citizens, yet they will have an impact on limiting the high consumption rates and preserving water resources.