Never mind that Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat’s 2017 Budget announcement will mean that there will be more help for Singaporean businesses which expand overseas.
Never mind that there will be a personal income tax rebate of 20% for workers capped at $500.
Or that some couples will have more rebates when they buy their flats since first-time applicants who buy four-room or smaller flat will get a subsidy of $50,000, up from $30,000. Or that those looking for a five-room flat or bigger will get $40,000.
What has certainly made everyone sit up and kao peh (make noise) is the fact that the price of water will be increased by 30 per cent over the next two years.
“Water prices were last revised in 2000, almost 20 years ago. We need to update our water prices to reflect the latest costs of water supply,” Mr Heng said in his speech in Parliament.
Netizens also reacted violently to Nee Soon GRC Member of Parliament Lee Bee Wah’s comments that the increase of the price of water was important to “bring up awareness” of the importance of water”.
See video here:
Her comments were lampooned by SGAG:
But humorists had a field day, and offered suggestions on how to save water.
The fact is, water is a precious resource and there needs to a correct price point so that there will be minimal wastage.
So, here are five easy ways to ensure you don’t pay and pay more for water with the price increase:
- Take shorter showers.
- Use a pail when washing the car and not the hose.
- Use recycled water for the plants
- Do not leave the water running when washing the dishes after meals.
- Eat your Milo and Coffee.
And maybe it is time to do the Water Wally dance again.
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