Bishkek City Administration plans to almost double water, sewerage tariffs

Bishkek City Administration has developed a draft resolution of the City Council on the approval of tariffs for water supply and sewerage services in the capital. The document was submitted for public discussion.
The city administration proposes to raise tariffs for 1 cubic meter of drinking water for the population 1.5 times (from 5.38 to 8.1 soms). In addition, tariffs for budget-funded organizations will also increase - from 7.38 to 9.1 soms (1.23 times) and other consumers - from 9.15 to 13 soms (1.4 times).
It is planned to increase the tariffs for water disposal, that is, the reception and treatment of wastewater. The population is offered to pay 2.3 soms instead of 1.2 soms (an increase of 1.9 times) for the wastewater.
Tariff for budget-funded organizations will be increased from 2.1 to 3 soms (43 percent growth), and other consumers - from 4.02 to 6 soms (an increase of 49 percent).
The background statement to the document stresses that the new tariffs have been developed to conduct a fair tariff policy in the water supply and sewerage system, to reduce enterprise losses due to the tariff lagging behind the cost of services for the supply of drinking water and wastewater treatment.
"The current tariffs for water supply and sewerage services do not allow proper operation and modernization of pumping and energy equipment, maintenance of freight and special transport, reconstruction of water and sewer networks," the city administration stressed.