In Eure, the price of water will increase further for these 35,000 subscribers

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Will the decision bring users onto the streets again? A little less than a year after the announcement of a sharp increase in water prices by the Water union of Roumois and the Neubourg plateau (SERPN), which had triggered a protest movement in Eure, the SERPN announced a new increase in water prices in the 81 municipalities which compose it. A deliberation adopted during its general meeting on Thursday, November 14, 2024, in Sainte-Colombe-la-Commanderie (Eure).

For the 35,150 subscribers concerned, from 1^is January 2025, the resource will thus move from a single rate of 1.90 euros excluding tax per cubic meter consumedat a progressive rate. “A bit like taxes, everyone will have their share. The idea is to encourage people to pay attention to their water consumption,” explained Jean Serreau, the general and financial director of SERPN.

In total, five tranches have been defined according to annual consumption, with a proposed rate of 2 euros excluding tax per m³ for the range from 0 to 30 m3, up to a rate of 2.50 euros excluding tax per m³for the highest section, above 200 m³ annuals.

Concretely, including taxes and fees, the average price paid by the user will increase from 3.04 euros per m³ at 3.47 euros, an increase of 15%. According to the union, the impact on the user's annual bill will be on average 51.95 euros per yearor 4.33 euros per month.

Few subsidies

This increase in the price of water should notably allow the SERPN to invest in the construction of water treatment plants, while the consumption of tap water has been discouraged for vulnerable people for almost a year. in many municipalities in the region. The cause: too high a nitrate content and the presence of pesticide metabolites. “Our responsibility is to bring drinking water for people », insisted Julie Leboulenger, the technical director of the SERPN.

“Apart from the water agency, all our requests for subsidies were refused,” said Dominique Medaerts, president of the water union. We could turn a deaf ear and wait until the end of the mandate to leave this file to the next delegates. That's not my way of doing things. Inaction and lack of anticipationhave never been sources of economy. »

Less investment means more leaks and more charges.

Dominique Medaerts, president of the SERPN

Indeed, from next year, the fees collected by the Seine-Normandie Water Agency will increase between 5.7 and 9.7 cents per m³ per subscriber. A 'performance' royalty will also appearcalculated based on network performance. That is to say, it will vary depending on the quantity of leaks observed in the pipes. “Less investment means more leaks and more charges, but not more resources for the SERPN,” summarized Dominique Medaerts.

The president of the SERPN recalled the importance of the network to be maintained, 1,500 km long, including 48 km of PVC pipes, which would present a health risk and would need to be replaced as a priority, due to the presence of vinyl chloride monomer (VCM).

Work in slow motion in 2024

Only 3.49 km were renovated in 2024, compared to 10.33 km in 2023, due to lack of sufficient budget. The renewal of meters, supposed to make it possible to better combat leaks on the network, was also done “slowly” according to the management of the SERPN. Barely 2,500 meters installed, compared to almost double the previous year.

“The average price in Eure was 2.44 euros on 1^is January 2024 and we, we are getting ready to vote 3.47 euros. I believe that there is a form of dropout, alerted Arnaud Cheux, delegate for the commune of Neubourg. When the SERPN was created, the objective was to optimize the price of water by pooling resources. »

Intercommunalities in ambush?

The one who is also first deputy at the town hall of Neubourg and vice-president of finance of the community of communes announced a working group on water productionlaunched by the intercommunal authorities of Pays du Neubourg and Roumois Seine. They could decide to take over the responsibility for water management.

“The inhabitants of Roumois Seine perhaps do not need to finance the construction of the Tremblay-Omonville factory and, for Neubourg, it is perhaps easier to ally with the unions of the valley, which produce a large quantity of water at a lower price. We have to ask ourselves the angry questions, otherwise we will never get there,” he said.

After a vote, the price increase was adopted by 44 votes for, 11 against and 8 abstentions.

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