In Portugal, families continue to be discriminated in their access to water, depending on their size and the municipality where they live. The fixed water tariff ranges from 0 to 16€ and the total water bill shows differences that can mean more than 600€/year for the same consumption. These are the conclusions of the 7th edition of the Comparative Study of Water Supply Tariffs in Portugal, carried out by the Portuguese Large Families Association (APFN).
Presenting four recommendations for fairer access to water in Portugal, the 7th edition of the Comparative Study of Water Supply Tariffs in Portugal reveals where, how and why discrimination against families, especially large families, still exists, as well as ways to stop it. The APFN has also created a website that allows intuitive access to all the information in the study.
Families are penalized for their size, because it is considered as waste (applying a higher scale) what does not pass from a rational consumption of more people. The APFN recommends that the same per capita consumption pattern should correspond to an identical final cost per capita.
On average, in Portugal, an individual living alone pays 51 cents per cubic meter. If they are part of a family of ten, for the same consumption, they pay 1.07 euros, i.e. more than double.
The APFN has also requested an audience with the portuguese government to present the conclusions and recommendations of this study.
