Reluctant support for staggered rise

Most public representatives at a hearing on water costs yesterday said they supported an increase in the cost of tap water for next year because they had "no alternative".

Among the 25 representatives at the special hearing on water price, three rejected outright the government's two proposals.

Authorities offered a one-time increase from 3.7 yuan to 4.6 yuan per cu m and a 0.30 yuan increase for each year from next year until 2012.