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Are you one of those who only look at the total figure on the water bill ? Knowing the different rates that apply and learning how to consult the water bill will allow you to know what each amount of your bill is used for, detect the reason for possible increases and find ways to save.
In this post we are going to analyze the main points to take into account in the water bill and the concepts in which this bill is broken down. Let’s go there!
And if you want to know more, we will also decipher your electricity and gas bill.
Law 9/2010 on Galician waters
Did you know that each autonomous community has a series of laws and regulations regarding water? In the case of Galicia we have Law 9/2010, of November 4, on Galician waters.
This law has the purpose of guaranteeing that the basic needs of the population are covered, that economic and social development is favored and that the good condition of the associated aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems is preserved.
This law also establishes the water canon and the rate of discharge coefficient to purification systems. These two amounts make it possible to recover environmental costs and implement principles such as intraterritorial solidarity and justice.
How often is the water paid?
Depending on the supply company, which will depend on the municipality in which you reside, you will receive the water bill every month, every two months or every three months. The frequency with which you receive this invoice will not influence the total amounts you pay throughout the year in each concept.
Water bill concepts
Now that we have these previous points clear, we are going to delve into the concepts that you will find on your water bill regardless of the supplier company:
- water supply
- canon of water
- discharge coefficient
- And other concepts: sewage, rubbish, meter rental…
The water supply
This is the amount to be paid for having immediate access to the water supply. It is made up of a fixed part, determined by the type of dwelling and the installed flow, and a variable part depending on the consumption section.
the canon of water
This amount also consists of a fixed part and a variable part. The Galician water canon is a finalist canon, that is to say, it solely and exclusively finances actions in matters of supply, sanitation and operation of wastewater treatment plants and management of our rivers, and one of its primary objectives is to promote the rational use of water and its saving. These are its principles:
- The domestic rate is structured in various sections according to consumption and the number of people per dwelling. For example, a house in which 5 people live will consume more than another with 2 people.
- Citizens will pay the same water canon regardless of where they live.
- Discounts will be applied to large families, as well as to communities of users with neighborhood donations, their own deposits or people at risk of social exclusion.
And how is the water canon calculated? The Ministry of the Environment, Territory and Infrastructures of the Xunta de Galicia has set up a webiste to channel doubts about the water canon.
Amount of the water canon
To find out the amount you are going to have to pay, just look at the last water bill and enter the data on the volume of water consumed, the billing period of the receipt and indicate the number of people who live in the house.
You must bear in mind that by default it is considered that there are three people per dwelling, so in the case of more people residing, you must request this modification from Aguas de Galicia, indicate the real number of cohabitants and thus benefit from greater volumes of water in the cheapest sections.
Likewise, if you have been granted the discount in the sanitation canon or in the water canon for large families, you must select this option in order to apply the 50% discount.
discharge coefficient
The discharge coefficient is a rate that is linked to the provision of the purification service by Aguas de Galicia, so that only the users to whom said purification service is provided by Aguas de Galicia will be obliged to pay it. Galicia.
The discharge coefficient is also a final tax whose collection will be used exclusively to finance the operating and investment costs of the purification infrastructures managed by the Galician Hydraulic Administration, incorporating in its configuration the same criteria of progressivity and fairness that the water canon, as well as the same rate system and bonuses.
Other concepts
Depending on the municipality, the concepts of:
- Sewerage, sanitation and water purification : These concepts may be included in the water supply, they may appear separately or they may not even appear on the water bill.
- Garbage : in some municipalities, the payment for the garbage collection service is included in the water bill.
- Meter rental : in some cases you have to pay a fixed amount corresponding to the rental of the water consumption meter.
- Discounts : Depending on the municipality, different discounts can be requested to reduce fees and help pay bills.
Now that you know all the concepts of your water bill and the purpose of each of them, you only have to add the amount of VAT, which in this bill is 10% of the total amount.
Have you already checked your water bill? We hope that thanks to these tips the bill no longer has surprises for you and encourages you to make more rational use of water, not only to save, but to guarantee the good management of this vital resource.