Water prices likely to increase

The price of water and sewerage in Prague may go up by 2.97 percent next year. Residents would pay Kč 87.71 per cubic meter, up from the current Kč 85.18. Water would increase to Kč 48.74 per cubic meter, up about Kč 2 and sewerage would cost Kč 38.97 per cubic meter, up about 50 hellers (half a crown).

The issue was brought up a City Council meeting Dec. 13 but no decision was made. A proposal should have been made by Councilor Jana Plamínková (STAN / Trojkoalice), who was ill. Councilors opted not to decide on the issue in her absence, and it is not clear when the issue will be discussed. The price last increased in March last year.

Prague should get some Kč 2.319 billion from leasing the water network and get a net profit of Kč 2.139 billion.

Next year Prague should invest some Kč 1.97 billion in water infrastructure. Over Kč 500 million is for the construction of a new central wastewater treatment plant. This year water distribution network manager Pražská vodohospodářská společnost (PVS) planned investments of Kč 2.329 billion, and had invested Kč 1.77 billion by Oct 31. PVS on average has invested Kč 1.4 billion annually.

Water in Prague is distributed by Pražské vodovody a kanalizace (PVK), which rents infrastructure from PVS. French firm Veolia owns PVK and from sales adding up to some Kč 5 billion it pays Kč 2 billion in rental fees. PVK's profit last year rose 6.6 percent and hit Kč 532 million, which was paid to the sole shareholder Veolia. PVK's turnover last year rose 6 percent to Kč 6.24 billion. 

Veolia has operated in the Czech Republic since 1996. Over 1,150 municipalities in the county use the French firm to manage water infrastructure, according to Veolia's website.

Association of Water Supply and Sewerage of the Czech Republic (SOVAK) said water prices are expected to rise across the country by a few percent, but the increases won't be uniform.

According to the Czech Ministry of Agriculture, the average water and sewerage in the Czech Republic last year was Kč 80.6 per cubic meter.