The 7th Comparative Study of Water Supply Tariffs in Portugal developed by the Portuguese Association of Large Families (APFN) concludes that the district of Porto was the one with the least fairness in the cost of water in 2021.

The fact that in the same district, in neighbouring municipalities, the differences can reach “hundreds of euros per year, for the same consumption”, contributes to this.

“For example, in the municipality of Póvoa de Varzim, a family of 10 people pays 300.24 euros in total invoices for the year, but the same family pays for the same water consumption, 1,245.12 euros/year if they live in the municipality of Gondomar, a difference of 944.88 euros between the two annual water accounts”, explains APFN.

Other figures show that in Porto the tariff was set at 1.11 euros per cubic meter (m3) consumed, a value that is above the national average price of 0.81 euros/m3 of water consumed, according to the statement in which reads that Madeira was the region with the lowest average variable tariff, 0.35 euros/m3.

APFN also refers that the average price of the fixed water supply tariff in the district of Porto was the second highest in the country in 2021 and was €4.41/month, exceeding the national average price of €3.16 /month (the Aveiro district recorded the highest average fixed tariff €4.95/month). In contrast, Beja was the Portuguese district with the lowest fixed tariff average, at €1.80/month.

Cited in the statement, Vitória Salvado, coordinator of the APFN Water Study, argues that “the same per capita consumption pattern must correspond to an identical final cost per capita, with the reference value of 3.6m3 per person/month”.

“The objective is that a glass of water costs the same for everyone, regardless of family size and geographical location, according to the principle that the same per capita consumption pattern must correspond to an identical final per capita cost”, she defended.