Water bills fall in Porto in 2017

Household water and sewage bills will fall in Porto, over the coming year, according to municipal company Águas do Porto.

Bills dropping on customer's households is possible thanks to the company's management gains and the success of the ownership change of Águas do Douro and Paiva, SA, a former multi-municipal Water Collection, Treatment and Supply System company, which prevented the rise of the cost of water in 2017.

The regulatory model developed by ERSAR focuses on the structural regulation of the sector, on the regulation of the operators' behaviour and in additional regulatory activities. This regulation is done by assessing the performance of the various operators.

The Water loss reduction policy implemented in Águas do Porto will fall by an average 20% and will for the first time be aligned as "excellent" by the Regulatory Authority of Water and Waste Services. 

Porto City Hall, lead by Rui Moreira, initiated a political struggle against the merger of water companies in 2015, that has been brought to a successful close in February 2016.