SHENZHEN has released plans to lower pipeline gas prices and raise sewage treatment fees, Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported.

The price adjustments will barely have any effect on residents’ household expenditures, the relevant departments said.

As per the plans, households will have their pipeline gas costs reduced by 0.40 yuan (US$0.059) per cubic meter. There are three levels of prices for households, namely 3.10 yuan per cubic meter for the first level, 3.60 yuan for the second level, and 4.85 yuan for the third level, depending on the amounts of gas consumed each month.

Party, government and military organs and their affiliated institutions, social organizations, hospitals, enterprises’ canteens, schools and social welfare institutions can enjoy national and provincial preferential policies, with a gas price of 3.30 yuan per cubic meter.

The benchmark prices for industrial and commercial users and power plants will not change, according to the plans.

In terms of sewage treatment fees, the charges for households have three levels, namely 1 yuan per cubic meter for the first level, 1.50 yuan for the second level, and 3 yuan for the third level, depending on the amounts of sewage treated each month. The treatment prices per cubic meter of nonresidential sewage and water for special industries are 1.54 yuan and 3 yuan per cubic meter, respectively.

Calculations made by the relevant government agencies show that some households may even see slight decline in their expenditures after this round of price adjustments. (Xia Yuanjie)