Companies in Antwerp are enjoying water utility costs far lower than what ordinary households enjoy, De Standaard reports. The Flemish greens are now calling for “competitive pricing” to address the imbalance.
The region’s four major water companies, De Watergroep, Pidpa, Water-Link, and Farys offer water contracts to large consumers that are on average 15-20% cheaper than those offered to families, the newspaper reveals.
Only one of the companies, Water-Link, offers relatively affordable deals to local residents, notably due to the company’s ability to syphon drinking water from the Albert Canal. Even then, local companies pay half as much as families. Figures for 2018-2021 show clearly that industry gets the best prices.
In a comment to Flemish newspaper De Morgen, Flemish green party leader Mieke Schauvliege said that the discounts are problematic in a period of increasing drought.
“We have to use water very sparingly… But at the same time, industry receives drinking water at bargain prices. That has no impact on us. Households should not pay for drinking water production for industry,” he said.
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The party leader also denounced that these cut rates are also negotiated behind closed doors and called for more transparency from Flemish Minister for the Environment Zuhal Demir. The Greens are calling for “sharper pricing and binding targets” in the drinking water market.
Demir has stated that she is in discussion with water companies regarding their price negotiation with wholesale consumers and that the water regulator in Flanders will produce an evaluation of water companies’ tariff plans. This should be published in the autumn.
