The company
Agua y Saneamientos Argentinos (AySA)
confirmed this Wednesday its request to the Government for a
209% rate increase starting in April
for its drinking water and sewage services.
Thus, the average bill without taxes will go from $5,290 to $16,300 per month, and will represent approximately 2.8% of the average salary measured in January ($555,269).
At the same time, it offered an
adjustment to its expense structure of 20%
and promised to reach
financial balance (zero deficit) in the last quarter of 2024
.
That is,
it will not need more subsidies from the Nation
.
Without this reduction, the need for a rate increase would stretch to 290%.
In a public hearing before the Secretary of Public Works, Luis Giovine, the authorities of the Water and Sanitation Regulatory Entity (ERAS) and the rest of the participants, the directors of AySA recalled that their proposal establishes a
monthly updating mechanism -indexation- in depending on the evolution of salaries and inflation starting in May
, and a new review in July.
The expectation, however, is that the rate increase
will only take place in May
, taking into account that there are only four days for the analysis of the audience, the preparation of a final report and the implementation of the new rate tables.
Representatives of the public company explained that the initiative focuses on an "effort to
reduce operating costs
through more efficient management in the provision of services."
AySA will absorb the costs for the incorporation of new areas and the operation of the new Riachuelo System, so it would only need financing from the Treasury for network expansion works and the payment of its debt.
The
Social and Community Rate
will remain intact and the 15% subsidy for low-income areas with a reduction of up to 100% of late fees, too.
If this rate increase is approved, the 534,517 households in the City and Greater Buenos Aires that are in the "high" zonal level
would go from paying $6,236 (without taxes) on average in March for water and sewer service to $ 19,269 in April
.
The 5,991 residential users in these areas that only have water - without sewer -
in closed neighborhoods (countries)
would see a jump from $9,962 to $30,784.
For its part, the average bills of the 996,718 homes at the "medium" zonal level of the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area (AMBA) would have an increase from $5,663 (without taxes) for water and sewer service in March to
$17,500 in April
.
And the 5,827 residential users in these areas that only have water - without sewer - would see an adjustment of $3,263 to $10,082.
Meanwhile, the 1,187,139 homes in the "low" zone level
would have an update from $4,551 (without taxes) for water and sewer service in March to $14,062 in April.
And the 582,044 residential users in these areas that only have water - without sewer - would see an increase
from $1,735 to $5,360.
Likewise, the 303,636 non-residential users (industries, businesses, buildings, hospitals and schools, among others) with water and sewage will pay $23,102 plus taxes in March to $71,386 in April;
and the 30,595 that only have water will rise from $13,917 to $43,002.