PORT DICKSON, Sept 7 — Port Dickson residents will soon be the first people in peninsula Malaysia to get a combined water-sewage bill after Labuan, said Minister of Water, Land and Natural Resources Dr Xavier Jayakumar.

However, he said the ministry needed the cooperation of the state government, local authorities and residents to make the effort successful.

The combined bill is expected to increase the collection in arrears for sewage bills faced by Indah Water Konsortium Sdn Bhd (IWK), he said.

However, the combined bills will not mean an increase in water and IWK tariffs.

"People are now paying bills separately. We want them to pay both bills at the same time,” he said.

Dr Xavier was speaking to reporters after visiting the Sunggala Regional Sewage Treatment Plant here. Also present was Port Dickson Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He said the proposal will be discussed with the local government soon for approval.

He added that the combined bill will be extended to other states if it was successfully implemented here.

Dr Xavier also urged commercial premises and hotels in Port Dickson to install extensions to the public sewage system so that their sewage could be treated efficiently and not pollute rivers or coastal areas. — Bernama