TOWN COUNCILS AND HOSPITALS (Reduction of water consumption charges)

Mr Chiam See Tong asked the Minister for the Environment whether he will reduce the water consumption charges by 30% to 50% for town councils and hospitals where extra washings of their premises are still being required as a prevention against the recurrence and spread of SARS.

The Minister for the Environment (Mr Lim Swee Say): Mr Speaker, Sir, the SARS outbreak has reminded us of the need to keep improving on the standards of personal hygiene, environmental cleanliness and public health. This is why we are seeing more cleaning and washing at public places. However, I want to emphasise that achieving a higher standard of cleanliness and hygiene is not just a short-term concern because of SARS, but also a long-term challenge because we need to remain vigilant against all other viruses and infectious diseases.

If we were to lower water charges by 30-50%, as suggested by Mr Chiam, we could end up not only doing more washing and cleaning, but also making less careful use of water at the same time. This combination of using more water and wasting more water at the same time is clearly not the best way forward in our battle against viruses and infectious diseases.

So, instead of calling for water to be subsidised, I suggest that we focus on how to make more efficient and smarter use of water.

First, if all of us can practise good personal habits and keep public places clean and hygienic, we will be able to keep the frequency of cleaning to the minimum.

Second, if we can all use every drop of water more wisely and waste less water, then these savings could help to offset any increase in water consumption for cleaning. In this way, our estates and public places can be cleaner, greener and more hygienic, and hopefully, without a corresponding increase in water and utility consumption.

Mr Chiam See Tong: Sir, I must remind the Minister that town councils are non-profit bodies ---

Mr Speaker: You have only half a minute left to remind the Minister, Mr Chiam.

Mr Chiam See Tong: Yes. We have not increased our SC&C charges for the last six years. We have no increase in revenue, but we play our part and we spend more, by 30-50%, on water usage to clean up the place to prevent the recurrence of SARS. Does the Minister not think that the Government should play its part also to help out the town councils, otherwise we will be lowering our standards of cleanliness generally, with less income?

Mr Speaker: You have 10 seconds, Mr Lim.

Mr Lim Swee Say: Mr Speaker, Sir, I will be brief. Just to mention two points.

Firstly, I think it is incorrect for Mr Chiam to say that the consumption of water in his town council has gone up by 30-50%. I have made a check. In fact, across all town councils, water consumption in the last three months, from March to May, has come down by about 11-12% compared to a year ago, and about 4-5% compared to the previous three months.

In the case of Potong Pasir, in fact, the water consumption there has come down by 10% compared to a year ago, and has gone up by 1.5% compared to December 2002 to February this year. So, if we compare this year with last year --- 3.00 pm

Mr Speaker: Order. Mr Lim, end of Question Time. [Pursuant to Standing Order No. 21(3), Written Answers to Question Nos. 13-20, 22 and 23 on the Order Paper are reproduced in the section, "Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by 3.00 pm" (Cols. 2321-2334). Question No. 21 has been postponed to the next available sitting of Parliament.]