Donetsk, Jun 21 – DAN. Water bills in Kiev-controlled areas have become seven-fold higher compared to DPR, said the first deputy minister of construction and household services Vitaliy Kizhaev.

"Ukraine has raised water rates several times within three years. Water bills in Kiev-controlled areas have turned seven times higher than in DPR," he said.

Ukrainian water users saw rate hikes totaling nearly 15 percent in May this year followed by another rates adjustment for Kiev-controlled Donbass and Kharkov region.

"As of now, customers in Kiev-controlled Donbass will be charged 20.35 hryvnia (0.8 USD) for a cubic meter, twice the price enterprises pay for the same services (8.41 hryvnia or 0.32 USD), and seven times the water bill in DPR," Kizhaev said.

DPR has been keeping the same rates for household services since 2014. *ot