The Director of Water Supplies, Tony Yau, said a review as to whether or not to raise water bills will be completed in a month or two at the earliest.

He said authorities will consider a basket of factors, including Hong Kong’s economic situation and people’s affordability, before making a final decision.

Yau’s comment came after the government signed a new deal with Guangdong authorities last month, agreeing to a raise in Dongjiang water charges by around 2.4 percent each year until 2026.

He said while the user-pays principle is an important one, there are also other considerations that officials will look at.

"We actually look at many things, for example our department's operating accounts, the economic situation of the whole of Hong Kong, the people's affordability, et cetera," Yau told reporters.

"We're reviewing the matter now, we actually do it every year. We hope we can make the situation public after [completing] the review as soon as possible."

The director said even though Hong Kong relies mainly on Dongjiang water, the department is exploring new water sources to mitigate problems like climate change.

For example, he said authorities are already looking to expand the desalination plant in Tseung Kwan O, which began operation last month and can supply around 50 million cubic metres of water a year.