In a note about the study, revealed in the December magazine Proteste, the consumer protection association Deco warns that price differences between municipalities in the global bill exceed 376 euros.

“For more than a decade, Deco PROTeste has warned about the dysfunction caused by disparities in the prices of water and sanitation services in Portugal”, reads the note, in which the association demands “urgency in tariff regulation through legislation” .

Deco Proteste also insists on “urgent investment in the rehabilitation of infrastructure”, stating that, “if this does not happen, it will worsen the current waste of 180 million cubic meters of water per year in Portugal”.

According to the association, in 2023, the municipalities of Amarante (Porto district) and Fundão (Castelo Branco district) were those that recorded the highest bills for consumption of 120 and 180 m3 of water.

In the case of 120 m3 of water, the five municipalities in Portugal where tariffs are highest annually are Amarante (470.13 euros), Oliveira de Azeméis (468.68 euros), Trofa (467.25), Baião ( 453.32 euros) and Celorico de Basto (451.10 euros).

With annual consumption of 180 m3, the five municipalities with the highest tariff are Fundão (751.64 euros), Oliveira de Azeméis (684.10 euros), Santa Maria da Feira (682.82 euros), Celorico de Basto ( 668.91 euros) and Covilhã (666 euros).

“Through a national analysis, Deco PROTeste concludes that the tariff dispersion is very high for 120 m3, worsening the difference range for consumption increases of 180 m3. In mainland Portugal, supply, sanitation and solid waste services reach a difference of 376.04 euros in the overall bill between municipalities for the same consumption of 120 m3 per year”, concludes the association.

In the case of annual consumption of 180 m3, the disparity between municipalities with the lowest and highest overall bill intensifies to 625.73 euros.

With regard to the sanitation service, the Deco study indicates that it presents differences of 172 euros and 332.40 euros between municipalities with lower and higher tariffs, respectively for consumption of 120 m3 and 180 m3.