Urban water prices to increase in 2008

The price of water in China's cities will increase in the coming year, an official at the country's top planning agency told Xinhua Net (in Chinese) at the end of last week's Central Economic Work Conference. As part of a broad reform program announced by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) at the conference, water prices will be increased to a "reasonable level," while utility companies will be monitored more strictly for overreporting costs. The price of water should be increased to a level that allows suppliers to make money, the NDRC source said.