Spanish municipalities adjust water rates and social aid criteria

In Caravaca de la Cruz, a feasibility study for the upcoming 25-year water contract proposes significant increases in domestic water rates. The plan includes a 22.8% rise in the fixed fee for the urban center and an 18.5% increase in outlying districts. Additionally, the proposal seeks to eliminate a current exemption for special category large families, requiring them to pay a fixed fee. While local leadership previously suggested increases would only penalize excessive consumption, the new model indicates that households may pay more even without increasing their water usage.

In Barcelona, the City Council's Social Rights Commission has approved a measure to adjust the eligibility criteria for social, educational, and housing aid. The proposal aims to account for the high cost of living by calculating available income after deducting the average cost of housing in Barcelona. This adjustment is intended to support families who do not meet strict vulnerability thresholds but struggle to make ends meet due to housing expenses. The measure, supported by a coalition including ERC, Junts, and PP, includes both rental and primary homeownership costs in its calculations.