EYDAP: What happens to invoices in water bills

Although in essence the issue of increasing water bills is in the “hands” of the government and the new Regulatory Authority (RAAEF), under which the water sector (Water, Waste, Energy and Water Regulatory Authority) has also been incorporated, it seems that they do not have price increases in their pursuits. The management of EYDAP has repeatedly stressed that it is not in the intention to increase water tariffs which, as they remain frozen over the last 15 years, while, as it has often reported, in Greece we have the second cheapest invoice worldwide. However, EYDAP, whose supervision has been “passed” in the Ministry of Environment and Energy, with control now being in the “hands” of the Ministry of National Economy and Finance, will not be the one to make its own final decision as to whether prices will remain stable in the water bills or whether we go to increases from the second semester onwards, without any clear timetable. The decision will be taken in cooperation with the Government and the new Regulatory Authority. Other parameters are related to the issue of tariffs, such as the effort to contain the cost of EYDAP, and due to the price increases in energy or leaks in the network, as well as the amount of funds that the quoted person needs to promote an investment plan of almost 2 billion euros. For example, EYDAP only in Eastern Attica has an investment plan of around 900m euros for bio-cleaning projects, 400m for water replacement projects to reduce leaks, while over 350m euros will absorb the development of the smart network and cash and the energy shielding of the company. For projects in Eastern Attica, there is 90% funding from the European Union, while in general EYDAP is looking for resources from the European Union and other investments. Depending on the funds needed for the projects and funds covered by EYDAP itself, the management of the rapporteur will recommend, for its part, to the Regulatory Authority (RAAEF) and its proposal to maintain tariffs at the same levels or for a small, rather, increase in tariffs. As a result, the EYDAP proposal, the Regulatory Authority’s finding and the ministerial decision (perhaps to summer) are expected to show whether increases are allowed in the second half or we stay at the same water tariffs.