Elected officials from northern Loiret have voted: what you need to know about the price of a cubic meter of water

The last meeting of the community council of the community of communes of Pithiverais Gâtinais (CCPG) took place Tuesday, December 10. Most of the points discussed went through like a letter in the post, but one subject was the center of attention: water and sanitation.

Because this last council of the year is above all the last before the transfer of skills to the CCPG takes effect. And one detail, not the least, remained to be voted on: the prices for the next twelve months, for consumers.

The CCPG had chosen to award public service concessions on February 20, 2024. On November 5, the companies had voted: the water competence will be managed by Veolia for a period of fifteen years and the sanitation competence by Aqualia, for the same period.

With this market, these two companies also take over a certain number of responsibilities, in particular ensuring the operation of the service, its renewal, in particular meters, remote relays, etc. And an investment part.

The prices for the concessionary share were voted on at the last council meeting, Tuesday November 5: a subscription of 50 euros (all prices are indicated excluding taxes) per year and a variable share of 2.51 euros per cubic meter of water consumed , for drinking water (Veolia), and 60 euros subscription and a variable portion of 2.67 euros per cubic meter for sanitation (Aqualia).

What is the “CCPG share” on the water tariff used for?

But the cost for the consumer also includes a tax determined by the water agency and a CCPG share, which is mainly used to finance “priority one” work (in response to formal notices from the prefecture), but also to take charge of loans made by municipalities as part of work on their drinking water network (since the CCPG also recovers them).

On its own, the community of municipalities must therefore carry out work estimated at 14.99 million euros for drinking water, 4.13 million euros for sanitation, and reimburse nearly 4.52 million euros. euros of loans, for these two skills.

The community of municipalities has decided to smooth out the costs over twenty-five years, to estimate that around 15% of the work will be subsidized and that around 550,000 euros of surplus will be recovered. The surpluses come from the unions which previously managed water (mandatory) and from the water and sanitation budgets of the municipalities (subject to deliberations, city by city).

“Fucking nonsense”

The only one to have openly declared his vote (abstention) during the debates, Jean-François Luche, the mayor of Saint-Loup-des-Vignes, affirmed his opposition during the debates. “Number one emergencies that will take place over twenty-five years? It’s nonsense, a waste of the fleet.” The elected official, who has often voted against the transfer of skills and its various stages, in particular the choice of concessionaires, recalls “Aqualia is 50% profit. By applying the tariffs of the concessionaires, a municipality like Beaune-la-Rolande would recover 7.5 million euros over fifteen years.” Its commune, Saint-Loup-des-Vignes, will retain its union and will be independent of Veolia regarding drinking water. “These sums are necessary but I hope that our union will make better use of them.”

And Delmira Dauvilliers, the president of the CCPG, responded: “We toured the communes… If everyone had been good everywhere, we wouldn't be here. We won't achieve in five years what was not done in thirty”. An elected official adds: “Veolia called me to find out where the lead connections are located. I don't know. I prefer that they do the work rather than me.”

The CCPG part of the tariffs was voted on Tuesday, December 10: with seven votes against, 13 abstentions and 34 in favor, it will be 25 euros for subscription and 0.49 euros per cubic meter for drinking water and 20 euros for subscription and 0.48 euros per cubic meter for sanitation.

Which, in total, brings the price to 3 euros per cubic meter, plus 75 euros subscription for drinking water; 3.15 euros per cubic meter, plus 80 euros annual subscription.