Water tariffs have not changed since 2022. Since then the cost of electricity, repair equipment, reagents and the like has increased. Therefore, water administrations found that the increase in tariffs for centralized water supply and sewerage for the population should help the full-fledged operation of the industry.
For the full functioning of water services in 2024, central water supply and sewerage tariffs must be increased by 50%. Dmytro Novitsky, president of the Ukrvodokanecological association, said this in an interview with Ukrinform.
Water supply revenues will not change in the near future, but according to Novitsky, tariffs need to be increased.
The water price for the population was determined in 2021 for 2022. Last year there was an increase in certain components of the tariff: the cost of electricity, materials, repair equipment, reagents. In general, prices increased by 1.5-3 times. Moreover, wages were not taken into account in 2021 when determining the tariff.
Regarding the remuneration of employees, Novitsky added: “Currently the industry average is about 10,000 UAH. Therefore, we are experiencing personnel outflow and thousands of our employees are now in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.”
He added that the average tariff increase expected to occur in the summer of 2023 is around 30 percent. In monetary terms, this would be 60 UAH more than now for a family of three.
“Since tariffs have not been determined for this year, they need to be increased by about 50% for 2024,” Novitsky believes.
Important
What happened with the tariff increase: chronology of events
They wanted to increase the cost of cold water for the public from January 1, 2023, but the regulator later reversed its decision and sent it for revision.
At the beginning of March 2023, he raised this issue again, but this time with a gradual increase in water tariffs: from 1 April to 1 July.
In June, businesses providing centralized water supply and sanitation services called on the regulator to increase the tariff by 33% from July 1.
On June 29, NEURC finally decided to increase tariffs for centralized water supply and sanitation.
In July, tariffs were supposed to increase by an average of 32%, then the bill amount for water consumption for a family of 2-3 people would be approximately 62 UAH more per month.
However, in early July, NEURC announced a possible increase in the cost of water supply and sewerage services. After some time, this decision was withdrawn due to criticism from Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, who called such actions “inappropriate, low-quality and inconsistent with the government.” He pointed out that consultation should be held to reconsider this issue.
The then Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmygal rejected the possibility of increasing water tariffs and suggested shifting the problems of water services to local budgets.
Source: Focus
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