â— The company may be exempt from meeting emission standards.
â— The company has sewage treatment facilities, but the discharged water does not meet the required standards, resulting in additional charges for bothè¶…æ ‡ sewage and treatment fees.
â— Whether domestic and industrial sewage should be charged under the same standard is still under discussion.
By the end of this year, Heshan City will implement a sewage treatment fee of 0.8 yuan per ton for users discharging wastewater within the urban planning area. Previously, the rate was only 0.3 yuan per ton. The hearing on this issue included representatives from the Heshan Municipal Price Bureau, the Environmental Protection Agency, and over 20 participants from various sectors.
The previous collection standard was low, and according to an official from the Heshan Environmental Protection Bureau, new requirements from the national and provincial governments have pushed for higher sewage treatment fees, which is now a common trend.
Historically, Heshan's sewage treatment fee system evolved gradually. In the 1980s, there were initial attempts to collect fees, but no strict enforcement. By the 1990s, the system started to take shape, though it remained incomplete. After 2002, efforts increased, with a fee of 0.2 yuan per ton between June 2002 and May 2003, rising to 0.3 yuan per ton from June 2003. However, there was no clear or consistent regulation until 2008, when the central government introduced mandatory targets, making the new fee standard a priority.
According to reports, Heshan’s previous fee level was significantly below regional averages. For instance, the average sewage treatment fee in the nine prefecture-level cities in the Pearl River Delta was 0.63 yuan per ton, while Heshan's was much lower. Additionally, the state requires that sewage treatment fees should cover operational costs with minimal profit margins. With the upcoming construction of the second sewage treatment plant, current fees of 0.3 yuan per ton are insufficient to maintain such a model.
Increasing sewage treatment fees is seen as a way to encourage companies and residents to conserve water. Heshan is not rich in water resources, and pollution remains a serious issue. Many people do not fully appreciate the value of water. At the hearing, some representatives suggested that raising fees could promote self-discipline among high-water-consuming companies and raise public awareness about water conservation.
A key question raised during the hearing was whether companies that already treat their wastewater need to pay the fee. According to the EPA representative, if a company meets discharge standards, it can release treated wastewater directly into rivers and be exempted. However, if the discharged water still doesn't meet standards, both theè¶…æ ‡ sewage charge and the treatment fee apply. The official explained, “This ensures that companies don’t just install treatment equipment as a formality.â€
Most hearing representatives supported the idea of charging sewage treatment fees. However, discussions continued on whether domestic and industrial sewage should be charged equally, whether the proposed increase is reasonable, and how to handle fees for certain social welfare institutions. The Heshan Price Bureau will submit these opinions to the municipal government for further review.
In addition, the second sewage treatment plant, with a total investment of 70.84 million yuan, is currently under construction and expected to start operations in June. This project will handle over 90% of domestic sewage in Heshan. From the heavy investment in environmental infrastructure to the implementation of sewage treatment fees, it reflects the Heshan government's growing concern for environmental protection.
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