Starting next year, Figueres will have two new sections in its water bill. The November plenary session will approve it with the aim of penalizing those who spend the most in the midst of a drought while the city is in an emergency situation. Until now, there were only two sections: the one with less than 12 cubic meters (m³) per month and the one with more than 12 cubic meters per month.
With the change, a first section is established for those who spend up to 7 m³; another for those that consume between 7 and 12 m³; a third section for those who spend between 12 and 15 and a fourth section for those who spend more than 15 m³. The first and second have a rate of 0.65 and 0.68 euros per m³; while the third and fourth are strung up to 0.96 and the euro, respectively.
Starting January 1, 2024, Figueres will have up to four sections in its water bill. Until now, only two scenarios were considered: consumption of up to 12 cubic meters per month and those that exceeded 12 cubic meters.
With the modification that the government team will bring to the plenary session next Thursday, the limits are modified and two new sections are incorporated. The first will be up to 7 cubic meters, “the one that affects the majority of families,” says Pastoret. The second will go from 7 to 12, the third from 12 to 15 and the last will be for those that exceed 15 cubic meters.
The councilor of the Treasury, Ramon Pastoret, says that this is not a collection measure but rather seeks to “raise awareness” and avoid uncivil behavior. The government team recalls that water rates have not been modified since 2016 and that in the lowest section there has been a 4% increase according to the CPI, but that in the sections with the most consumption the increase is higher for penalize them. Non-profit entities will have the reduced rate of the first tranche and whatever the consumption, “the escalation will not be applied to them.”
Pastoret insists that the majority of citizens comply, but admits that some do not. “Everything has a desire to encourage savings taking into account the situation we are in and we believe that consumption that we consider excessive must be penalized,” Pastoret remarks.
Figueres has been in a drought emergency situation since September along with 11 other municipalities in Alt Empordà that depend on the Boadella reservoir. The council has adopted several measures to address it. Among them, it has recently announced that it will begin to use regenerated water from the treatment plant to clean streets and water listed trees. It is also carrying out a campaign against fraud in irregular connections of accountants.
