LookAtVietnam – Agencies and households in Ha Noi will have to pay fees for discharging waste water, following a decision by the city People’s Committee.

The Ha Noi Clean Water Company will be responsible for collecting the fee, 92 per cent of which will be put into the State budget with the balance being used for collection costs.

The Ha Noi Clean Water Company will be responsible for collecting the fee, 92 per cent of which will be put into the State budget with the balance being used for collection costs.

The fee will be used to minimise pollution by improving waste treatment and allocating funds for environment protection.

Under the decision, all households who are supplied safe water will have to pay a monthly fee equal to 10 per cent of their monthly water bill, before tax.

A lower fee will be charged in 14 low-income rural districts of expanded Ha Noi such as Ba Vi, Phuc Tho, Quoc Oai, Thach That, Chuong My, Thanh Oai, where householders will pay a domestic waste water fee equal to 5 per cent of the water bill.

“This fee is very reasonable,” said Tran Minh Que, of Le Thanh Nghi Street. “My household only pays about VND5,000 a month.” (The amount is equal to US$0.29).

“What’s more, this decision has been made after five years of studying public opinion and people’s living conditions,” said Que.

HCM City introduced a similar fee three years ago.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News