Basic water utility charges will be waived for households in Tokyo for four months this summer, as the metropolitan government hopes offsetting water costs will encourage residents not to hold back on using their air conditioning to stay cool amid increasingly extreme heat.
A supplementary budget bill that includes 36.8 billion yen ($256 million) to cover the costs will be submitted to a Tokyo metropolitan assembly session in June.
“Real wages continue to be on the decline due to surging prices and given the predictions of an extremely hot summer, we want to protect Tokyo residents’ lives and daily living,” Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike told reporters on Tuesday.
About 8.2 million households are expected to benefit from the plan, according to the metropolitan government. Basic water charges in Tokyo generally vary from 860 yen to 1,460 yen, depending on the diameter of the household’s water pipe.
Households using a water pipe of 2 centimeters in diameter, the most common type, are expected to be able to save about 5,000 yen from their water bills over the four months, Tokyo officials said.
Metered water usage to be paid on top of the base fee will be charged as usual.
Tokyo has been experiencing scorching summer heat in recent years due to climate change and has seen an increasing number of people being taken to hospitals — and even deaths — due to heatstroke.
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AloJapan.com