Bill to make water and sewer services public and affordable

Automatic summary, not yet reviewed

1. The bill would recognize access to drinking water and sanitation as a human right and guarantee everyone a vital minimum of at least 60 liters per person per day, with free supply for people in recognized poverty or vulnerability.
2. It would sort water uses into three priority levels: water for a dignified life, water for household civic uses, and water for economic uses, each with its own rates and rules.
3. It would cap private concessions at five years, extendable to ten if the concessionaire finances works, ban upfront and variable concession fees, and require the concessionaire's purchases to follow public procurement rules.
4. Before outsourcing the service, the city council would have to run an information and participation process of at least four months and, if the outsourcing is large, put the decision to a public vote. Residents would also vote when the concession ends.
5. Rates would use rising consumption blocks, so higher users subsidize basic ones, and the money could only fund the water cycle itself, never other expenses.
6. It would boost transparency and participation: decision-making bodies must reserve at least 30% of seats for neighborhood and environmental representatives with voice and vote, and regional governments would create oversight bodies publishing comparative reports.

Who it affects

• All water and sewer users, who would get a guaranteed vital minimum and affordable rates.: Guaranteed access and protection from shutoffs when at risk of poverty.
• City councils, which keep authority over these services and must plan, set rates and ensure citizen participation.: New duties for planning, transparency and public consultation.
• Concessionaire companies, facing shorter terms, bans on certain fees and strict procurement rules.: Concessions capped at 5 or 10 years with more public control.
• Autonomous communities, in charge of oversight, standards, oversight bodies and support for small municipalities.: Coordination, monitoring and sanctioning duties.
• Service workers, with mandatory staff transfer if the service is brought back in house and prior union agreements before outsourcing.: Protection of their working conditions.

Words worth knowing

Concesión (concession)

A contract under which the city council hands over management of a public service to a company for a set time.

Canon concesional (concession fee)

A payment the concessionaire makes to the public administration for being awarded the contract.

Mínimo vital (vital minimum)

The basic amount of water every person needs to live with dignity, guaranteed even if unpaid.

Tasa (fee)

A payment for using a public service, here water, that only covers its cost.

EDAR

Wastewater treatment plant: a facility that cleans used water before returning it to nature.

It summarizes the text as it was introduced. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries