The Braga Chamber decided today to maintain tariffs and prices for water, sanitation and waste services in the municipality, but none of the opposition councilors voted in favor, as they considered that there were conditions for the reduction.
The four PS councilors voted against and the CDU councilor abstained.
Socialist Artur Feio said that Agere, the company responsible for those services, has been very profitable but has not made the desired and necessary investments.
For Artur Feio, Agere, given the “increasing levels” of profits, instead of maintaining tariffs and prices, should lower them.
“There is scope, capacity and financial availability for this”, he highlighted.
The CDU councilor, Vítor Rodrigues, expressed agreement with the PS’s considerations, but recalled that Agere still has important investments to make.
“Maintaining prices and tariffs is a positive step, but insufficient”, he said.
As O MINHO reported, the proposal voted on today states that Agere will maintain prices and tariffs for all users, domestic and non-domestic, throughout 2024.
“This measure represents a continuous effort to consolidate the evolution of the tariff, even in the face of the general increase in prices recorded in previous years”, he highlights.
Agere reiterates its commitment to reducing the difference between the real costs of services and the amounts charged to consumers, “without compromising investments in infrastructure and its maintenance”.
Furthermore, it maintains the objective of promoting rational use of water for the benefit of the environment.
In the document, it is also mentioned that the tariff freeze is complemented by other tariff reduction measures adopted in previous years, including the extension of the family water tariff, changes to the social tariff, reductions for private social solidarity institutions (IPSS), councils of parish and sports associations.
These measures included the extension of the family water tariff to all households with four or more people, a measure that represented a 40% reduction in the final value of the water installment.
“The social tariff has also undergone changes, with the expansion of the base of people from Braga who can access this tariff”, the proposal also reads.
IPSS have a 12.5% reduction and parish councils also benefit from a 20% reduction.
Sports associations, with the reformulation of levels, also saw a reduction in water service tariffs of around 7%, on average.
With regard to state fees, Agere reflects mandatory updates, such as the increase in the Waste Management Fee (TGR) from 25 to 30 euros per ton, and updates to the Water Resources Fee (TRH) relating to water and to sanitation.
