Water customers reject fee hike

Water customers reject fee hike

WONOSOBO, Central Java: Thousands of families are fiercely rejecting the local government's policy that has increased drinking water fees by 100 percent.

Many people have vented their anger by vandalizing the water distribution systems or refusing water supplied to their household.

The problem started after the regency government raised the billing rate from Rp 125 ($0.05) per cubic meter of water to Rp 265.

"The rise in the billing rate is ridiculous. My pension pay has increased by only 10 percent and the water fee soars by 100 percent," said Soerahman, a retired civil servant.

Chief of the Wonosobo state-owned water enterprise Syamsul Makrif refused to comment on the public protest. (har)