INTERAPAS approves 2027 water tariff proposal amid official opposition

The Governing Board of INTERAPAS has approved a proposal for the 2027 Quotas and Tariffs Law, which includes an 8 percent rate increase. The initiative, presided over by Mayor Enrique Galindo Ceballos, includes several social benefits, such as 100 percent exemptions for public basic education schools and subsidies for senior citizens. Additionally, the plan offers adjusted rates for families affected by failures in the El Realito system, free connections for the domestic sector, and reduced rates for small merchants.

However, the State Water Commission (CEA) has formally opposed the increase. CEA head Pascual Martínez Sánchez argued that the 8 percent adjustment lacks sufficient technical and economic justification, noting that it exceeds the National Producer Price Index (INPP) benchmarks. The CEA also criticized the proposal for failing to provide equivalent benefits to users facing water shortages due to inoperative wells, such as the Jacarandas well, while those affected by the El Realito aqueduct receive specific stimuli. The proposal will now be sent to the State Congress for analysis and authorization.