NAGOYA - Across Japan, water rates are being raised as aging infrastructure and population decline place mounting pressure on municipal waterworks, with a survey by Tokai TV revealing that many operators see no path forward without structural change, prompting new approaches that go beyond conventional frameworks to address what is being called a water crisis.
In Nagoya’s Minato Ward, a home improvement store now stands on land once used by the city’s Waterworks and Sewerage Bureau to store pipes. The bureau has been leasing the property to private firms for 11 years, earning about 14 million yen a month in a bid to improve finances. This illustrates how water utilities are being forced to find revenue in unconventional ways as costs mount.
A pipe unearthed from underground dated back 45 years, showing signs of corrosion despite remaining within its expected lifespan. Nagoya has been replacing such old pipes with quake-resistant models, yet water main bursts remain common. In April, a 66-year-old pipe burst in Kyoto just before its scheduled replacement, flooding streets. Nagoya reported 210 cases of pipe failures last year alone, with most caused by aging infrastructure.
Updating old equipment is becoming more expensive, while water consumption continues to fall as more households adopt water-saving appliances and younger residents rely on showers instead of baths. Nagoya projects its waterworks deficit will reach 14.6 billion yen within three years, forcing it to raise average water rates by 10 percent starting next month.
Tokai TV surveyed 117 water providers in three prefectures, finding widespread concern. Many utilities are saddled with aging infrastructure built during the high-growth era, face inevitable revenue decline from shrinking populations, and cannot impose steep hikes quickly due to the burden on low-income households.
In Gifu’s Kitagata Town, the basic monthly charge will rise 30 percent to 1,144 yen over three years, marking the first major increase in 45 years aside from tax adjustments. Yet more than 60 percent of surveyed operators said they could not sustain operations at current prices, with 22 already raising rates since last year and 46 more planning hikes soon. Smaller municipalities in particular struggle even with maintenance.
Amid this, new technologies are being introduced. In July last year, then-Prime Minister Kishida visited Toyota City, where the municipality pioneered an AI system using satellite-based electromagnetic waves to detect leaks. By narrowing suspect areas to within 200 meters, the system reduces manpower needs and helps prioritize replacement. Other localities are now adopting the method.
Broader regional integration is also emerging as a solution. In April, Nara Prefecture merged its operations with 26 municipalities into a single wide-area enterprise, allowing it to decommission obsolete water plants and cut costs by an estimated 14 billion yen. Unified billing has also lowered rates in some areas; households in Takatori, for instance, now pay over 1,400 yen less for the same usage.
Residents express cautious acceptance, acknowledging that while water must remain accessible to all, maintaining the infrastructure inevitably comes at a cost. With old pipes, shrinking populations, and falling consumption undermining financial stability, Japan’s water supply system now stands at a critical turning point.
Source: 東海テレビ NEWS ONE
