Demonstrating the required sensitivity towards the society as a whole, the Larnaca Water Supply Council (LWSC) has proceeded with an adjustment of the water sales charges as of 1 January 2023 in order to distribute the burden more fairly between the different categories of consumers, ensuring the recovery of water supply costs from all levels of consumption and without subsidizing one use from another, thus implementing the State's Tariff Policy and the guidelines of the European Water Framework Directive. The new fees will be applied in the pricing of the first quarter of 2023.
It should be noted that, from 2010 to date, SYL has maintained a stable pricing policy with no increases, while in 2019 it even proceeded to a vertical reduction of all fees by 5%.
Although SYL's new tariff policy does not bring substantial changes for Residential Rate consumers, it includes significant savings for Commercial Industrial Rate consumers (industries, hotels) previously belonging to Rates B and C, who will now be subject to a new common Rate. This means that a hotel consuming for example 750 cubic metres of water per quarter will pay €275 less and a large factory, which may have a consumption of 3,000 cubic metres of water per quarter, will benefit from around €1,650. For Vulnerable Consumers there is an additional reduction for high consumption, in order to support large families.
At the same time, the collection of sub-storey transfer fees of €10.50 and the collection of guarantees for sub-storey owners is abolished, except in the case of common areas, which remains €250.00.
The new tariff policy of SYL also provides the possibility to reduce water bills by up to €1.50. The Council, being increasingly environmentally conscious and wishing to assist in reducing the use of paper, will credit the amount of €0.50 to each bill for existing and new customers whose bills are sent by e-mail, and in cases where payment of the bill is arranged by automatic bank transfer or online, an additional reduction of €1.00 will be made. The reduction will be applied to the next water bill.
SYL urges the public to opt for sending the bill by e-mail by following the link: "e-invoice application", located on the Council's website www.lwb.org.cy or directly via the link: online.lwb.org.cy/ebill
Finally, SYL reminds that there is still a need to use water wisely for the purpose of protecting this precious commodity by limiting its use to absolutely necessary activities, reducing water consumption on the one hand and avoiding high charges on the other.
For more information regarding the new fees and charges of SYL, interested parties can visit the website of Council
Contents of this article including associated images are owned by PIO
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or PIO
Source
