Sewage charges

The government has introduced sewage charges. All water users who
discharge their sewage to public sewers pay a basic sewage charge and
trades and industries whose effluent strength exceeds that of domestic
sewage also pay a trade effluent surcharge. Only operation and
maintenance costs are paid out of charges and the government continues
to provide funds for capital costs. Household sewage charges are
therefore modest at an average of $40 per person per year. A consultancy
review of the trade effluent surcharge scheme was completed in April
1997. It concluded that the current scheme was fundamentally sound
although it has pointed out areas where improvements could be made.
The recommendations are being considered.

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