The Star : 16 October 2006�

Klang Valley residents want water quality to be improved to justify the hike in the water tariffs.�

Most of them also said that there was no justification for a water tariff hike while �brownish� water still flowed from their taps.

Restaurateur Lim Hua Siong, 49, wants the Government to get Syabas to provide clean water to the taps before the tariffs can be imposed.�

�If we are going to pay higher tariffs, then the firm that treats and supplies the water must justify their hike with clean water,� he said.�

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Housewife Ros Yatinah, 34, said there was a need to improve water quality. �

�In recent months I've had to do the laundry twice over due to dirty water supply,� said the Puchong resident, explaining that her clothes have been stained as a result of unclean water flowing directly to her washing machine. �

�My neighbours also have the same problem. I believe traders everywhere too might be facing the same dilemma,� said Ros, adding that food operators must ensure the water used was clean.�

Architect Daniel Lim, 31, of Kelana Jaya had to depend on water filters. �

�My wife and I moved here 10 months ago and have spent over RM100 just to install basic water filters. With my newborn baby, I can�t risk having contaminated water,� he said. �

Klang Consumer Association president A. Devadass said the consumers had a right to clean water.�

�Consumers are paying for clean water and not for murky water,� he said. �

On Saturday, Water, Energy and Communications Minister Datuk Seri Lim Keng Yaik said that water tariffs would go up by 15% for Klang Valley consumers who use more than 35 cubic metres per month.�

For consumers who use more than 20 cubic metres a month but less than 35, the tariff increase is 6%.�

Syabas chief operation officer Datuk Lee Miang Koi said they had been working hard to improve the water quality for consumers, including setting up the 24-hour toll free Puspel hotline.�

�We have always tried to improve the water quality since we took over from PUAS on Jan 1, 2005.�

�Among our efforts are replacing old pipes, reducing non-revenue water and improving the monitoring of water quality and equipment,� he told reporters before a dialogue with Bandar Sri Permaisuri residents here yesterday.�