Water went from 50 cents for 5 euros per cubic meter of water, the population has paid since July. The Board will change prices and up to five cubic meters of water the price is two euros. People say they won't pay.
Unhappy and in protest with the brutal increase in the price of a cubic meter of water, not drinkable, supplied from an artesian well, which increased from 50 cents for 5 euros, the inhabitants of the five hills that make up Pombeiros, in the place of Cantinho da Ribeira, in the Union of Parishes of Albernoa and Trindade (FAT), county Beja, since July last year they have not paid for their consumption.
At issue is the decision of the UFAT Executive, that after having made a new borehole in Azinhalinho, nearby cluster and composed of four hills, that “it was not possible to maintain the symbolic value charged by the municipality” and so, all inhabitants should contribute to the work and its expenses, sustained through rising water.
According to a document to which Lidador Notícias (LN) We had access, in July 2024 a UFAT, made it known that the value of the cubic meter of water underwent that change to cover expenses “with the costs of the new borehole, pump and new electricity supply contract to increase power”, open in Azinhalinho.
According to the population, the Pombeiros borehole was made 40 years by a resident and only later did the administration start distributing piped water, with residents bearing the payment of 80 euros, for the installation of each of the meters in the homes.
The water, not being drinkable, intended for personal hygiene, washing your home and clothes, watering animals and watering vegetable gardens. For own consumption, residents in the mountains buy monthly, between 12 and 15 water bottles, which generates additional expense between 13 and 16 euros.
After receiving the communication, there was a meeting with the mayor where residents wanted to know the reason for the crazy increase in the price of water and what costs the city council had to make its supply more expensive.. “We were given the worst argument that we were wasting a lot of water on our gardens and animals. There were no concrete justifications”, one of the women told LN.
The meters are read monthly by an employee of the municipality, but users do not receive any invoice in advance specifying the cubic meters spent and the amount to be paid. Users go to the board's facilities and only after liquidation, the document is issued with the amount paid and the water spent.
Bernard (fictitious name) accused UFAT of “never doing anything for the residents. We do not pay for water until there is another joint position. We cross the river and go to the neighboring municipality of Mértola and all the hills have drinking water at a much lower price”, adding with some sarcasm that “it almost feels like we are in Saudi Arabia where water is more expensive than oil”, finished.
LN had access to an invoice for the supply of drinking water issued by the Municipal Council of Mértola, in which the inhabitant of a mountain paid 6,17 euros for a consumption of 9 cubic meters. In Pombeirinhos the bill for the same amount of water would be 45 euros.
Heard by LN, the UFAT chairman, stated that “there was a reconsideration of prices, which will be communicated to users. Up to five cubic meters of water the price is two euros and from then on each meter costs another two and a half euros. In electricity, each cubic meter costs one euro”, justifying Carlos Casimiro that “amounts in arrears will be taxed according to this new table”, finished.
In response, Bernard, justified that “we will wait for communication from the board, but these values are too expensive. We do not accept”, justified.
Add that any citizen of the municipality of Beja, whose housing is served by the public network of the Municipal Water and Sanitation Company pays 1 euro for each cubic meter up to a maximum of five.
Teixeira Correia
(journalist)
