Chuncheon City, This Year's 'Water and Sewage Fees' Increase Postponed

[Asia Economy Reporter Ra Young-cheol] Chuncheon City in Gangwon Province has decided to postpone the increase of water and sewage fees this year.

Chuncheon City stated on the 16th, "We have been reviewing the fee increase from various angles to meet the government-recommended cost recovery rates of 80% for water supply and 60% for sewage."

The city plans to delay the increase this year to ease the financial burden on citizens due to COVID-19 and will reconsider the matter in the second half of the year, taking economic conditions into account.

According to recent statistics from the Ministry of Environment, the national average water and sewage fees are 736 KRW and 559 KRW respectively. The averages in Gangwon Province are 1,010 KRW and 489 KRW, while in Chuncheon, the water supply fee is 613 KRW and the sewage fee is 326 KRW.

The city's cost recovery rates are about 68% for water supply and 22% for sewage, resulting in an annual deficit of approximately 60 billion KRW. From 2017 to last year, the city raised water supply fees by 46% and sewage fees by 110% over four years.

The city urged, "Since water and sewage fees increase progressively with higher usage, we ask citizens to actively participate in conserving tap water."