Once again, the French will have to pay more to benefit from this essential service…
Households are not about to see their bills drop this year. After the announcement of the increase in gas prices on July 1, 2024, a completely different sector will also see its prices increase in the coming months. And this time, no household will be able to escape it, because this expense is essential for everyone on a daily basis. It must be said that all French people use this service to feed themselves, have fun when it’s hot outside, wash themselves, and sometimes even to maintain their vehicle or their exteriors.
This price increase in question would be inevitable in order to maintain the infrastructure needed for this resource. As you may have guessed, it is nothing more or less than water. Even though households and businesses have been adopting certain actions to save water for some time – last year, national consumption fell by 3 to 4% compared to previous years – the fact remains that“We will not be able to avoid an increase in the price of water”declared Régis Banquet, vice-president of Intercommunalités de France, at the Parisian.
Indeed, contrary to what one might believe, municipal drinking water services are not financed by our taxes, but by our consumption. This means that if we reduce our water use by taking fewer showers or turning off the taps more often, municipalities then have less income to maintain and improve water distribution and treatment networks. However, this investment is crucial. According to forecasts by Intercommunalités de France, 30 billion euros should be allocated to this service over five years.
Thus, to compensate for this drop in revenue, local authorities must seek other sources of funding. The first possible option is to increase subscription rates. The Intercommunalités de France federation proposes to raise the ceiling on water bills to 40%, compared to 30% currently. This would make it possible to make secondary residences contribute more, which, although they consume less water, require more significant infrastructure, especially those equipped with swimming pools or large gardens. Another solution considered is to increase the price of water per cubic meter, billed to users.
This second option has already attracted several cities, such as Toulouse, which has introduced seasonal water pricing. From June 1 to October 30, 2024, residents of the pink city and its outskirts will have a much higher water bill. This is expected to increase by 42%, reaching 4.40 euros per cubic meter. And unfortunately, they are not the only ones affected… In some municipalities in Eure, the increase is even more marked. On February 12, the managers of the mixed water union of Roumois and the Neubourg plateau (SERPN) announced a 60% increase. These new rates will directly impact the budget of the French, whether we like it or not.