Boryeong City in South Chungcheong Province will raise water and sewage rates starting July.
The city announced Tuesday that it will phase in increases to water and sewage fees, which had been frozen for six years since 2020, beginning in July to ensure clean and safe tap water supply and stable sewage treatment.
The city had kept rates below production costs to minimize household burdens and maintain stability in public utility fees. However, as fiscal deficits deepened due to expanded replacement projects stemming from aging facilities, the rate increase became unavoidable to support stable facility maintenance and reinvestment.
Starting in July, water rates will be applied as a single rate of 1,000 won per cubic meter. The rates will rise 5.5% annually thereafter, reaching 1,060 won per cubic meter in 2027, 1,120 won in 2028, and 1,180 won in 2029. For a household using 20 cubic meters per month, the additional monthly burden is expected to be 1,000 won compared with pre-hike levels, and an extra 1,200 won per month each year from 2027 to 2029.
Currently, residential water rates are applied on a tiered basis: 880 won per cubic meter monthly for 1–20 cubic meters, 1,280 won for 21–30 cubic meters, and 1,990 won for 31 cubic meters or more.
"We plan to concentrate investment of the funds secured through rate normalization on repairing aging water and sewage pipelines, modernizing water purification facilities, and expanding and improving the operational efficiency of sewage treatment plants," a Boryeong City official said. "We will reduce leakage rates and stably supply healthier and cleaner water to citizens."
