The Government was attacked yesterday for increasing sewerage charges by 12 per cent a year over the next three years in the wake of the abolition of the Sewerage Services Trading Fund.
Martin Glass, Deputy Secretary for Treasury, told the provisional legislature's environmental affairs panel the polluter-pays principle would remain unchanged.
Residents would have to foot half the operating costs for the Strategic Sewage Disposal Scheme Phase One and the Stonecutters Island Sewage Disposal Centre, he said.
Lau Kwok-choi, Principal Assistant Secretary for Works, said: 'If we are to meet the target, sewage charges will have to increase by 12 per cent every year.' After three years increases could stay at the inflation rate.
Although most members supported the decision to abolish the sewerage fund, some wondered why the sewerage charge had to be raised.
'The Government can now keep raising sewerage charges despite money having been injected. Why can't it be reduced?' Ip Kwok-him of the DAB asked.
