Beijing will raise water prices again for industrial, urban life and environmental purposes starting August 1.

The water prices will rise respectively from the ground price adjusted in 2003 for different consuming ways.

The water price per cubic meter for urban life will be adjusted from 2.9 yuan to 3.70 yuan, and water consumption at administrative institutions will be hiked from 4.4 yuan to 5.4 yuan.

The water charge for industrial and commercial purposes will go up from 4.4 yuan to 5.6 yuan per cubic meter, and that for the hotel and catering trades will also go up from 5.4 yuan to 6.1 yuan per cubic meter.

After the water prices are adjusted, the overall water charge will go up from 4.01 yuan to 5.04 yuan per cubic meter.

It is estimated the price hikes will bring about an extra revenue of 635 million yuan, and the total revenue from water this year will rise to 1.9 billion yuan.

Most of the revenue will be used to explore, protect, conserve water resources, popularize water efficient measures and finance cost of a project to divert water from the Yangtze River to Beijing.

(CRI.com August 1, 2004)