In the future, Peißenberg consumers will have to dig deeper into their pockets when it comes to water charges: The municipal utilities will raise the tariff by 54 cents net from January 2022.
The reason for the fee increase is, among other things, the investments in the supply infrastructure such as the new high-grade steel tank.
Peißenberg - In
contrast to electricity or natural gas sales, for example, the water and wastewater division of the Peißenberger Gemeindewerke is not a commercial, but a legally regulated branch of the company. The municipal company must operate the water supply and waste water disposal at a cost-effective rate - that is, neither profits nor losses may be made. The fees are recalculated in advance every four years and any shortfalls or surpluses are compensated for.
The latest round of calculations, which was calculated by a municipal advisory office, results in a higher water price for consumers in Peißenberg.
From January 2022, a net price of 2.20 euros per cubic meter of drinking water will be due.
That is 0.54 euros more than before.
The basic fee also increases - in the lowest meter size from 69 to 79 euros per year.
The bottom line is that a four-person household with a water consumption of 140 cubic meters results in additional annual costs of 85.6 euros net.
Because energy prices are already “going crazy”: Not a good time to raise fees
"That is a bigger leap in fees," admits the deputy director of the municipal works, Richard Krüger, in a press conference.
The time for the increase is not good: "The energy prices are currently going crazy - and then we come with an increase in the water fee." The price level is "in the upper limit" compared to other providers.
But why did the water charges have to be adjusted upwards?
In addition to an increase in operating costs, the municipal utilities have invested heavily in the infrastructure.
On the one hand, there is the supply line to the Paterzell drinking water source, which was built in 1916 and which was renovated in the course of the new construction of the WM 29 district road.
“We had to use this unique opportunity with the road construction work,” explains Krüger.
The reasons are increased operating costs and investments in infrastructure
On the other hand, the new elevated tank below the St. Michaels Chapel at the "Schweiber" is still being built.
The project will cost around two million euros.
The technically self-contained stainless steel tanks are to go into operation next year and replace the over 50-year-old elevated tank.
In this case, Krüger speaks of a “good time” for the project because the municipal utilities find it easier to finance the project due to the low interest rates.
This in turn also indirectly benefits the fee payers.
The costs for the new elevated tank will be passed on in full to the fees.
Mixed financing with special construction contributions would also have been possible.
But the municipal utilities have deliberately refrained from doing this.
“Special construction contributions would only affect the property owners,” explains Krüger.
All consumers would participate in the financing through the fees: “That is the fairest way.” In total, the municipal utilities register around 3500 utility meters of various sizes in their customer portfolio.
Wastewater and rainwater charges are falling
Good news from the consumer's point of view: while the water charges are rising, the recalculation for the wastewater charges has resulted in a reduction from 2.64 to 2.57 euros per cubic meter of wastewater.
The rainwater fee will also drop from 0.72 to 0.62 euros per square meter of sealed surface.
For the example calculation with a four-person household and a waste water discharge of 140 cubic meters, this results in reduced costs of 9.8 euros per year.
"That is cheaper, but unfortunately no compensation for the higher water charges," said Krüger.
Bernhard Jepsen
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