Water management is under public management in the Metropolis of Lyon, with the first 12 cubic meters free and increased rates for large consumers.
“Our objective is not to bill the higher brackets, but water sobriety,”
explained the environmentalist president of Greater Lyon, Bruno Bernard, during a press conference, recalling that the preservation of water resources was the one of the priorities of his mandate.
The metropolis has notably set itself a target of reducing consumption by 15% by 2035.
The new pricing, which must still be validated at the next metropolitan council, is the result of
“long reflection”
in consultation with an assembly of users, underlined Anne Grosperrin, vice-president in charge of the water cycle at Grand Lyon and president of the public water authority.
The first 12 cubic meters free
For individuals, the first 12 cubic meters per year will be free, thus guaranteeing
“unconditional and non-stigmatizing access to water”
, according to Florestan Groult, vice-president of the management.
The metropolis also wishes to set up a
“solidarity water payment, so that the most precarious do not have a share of the cost of water greater than 3% of their income”
, underlined Bruno Bernard.
Between 100,000 and 120,000 households could benefit from this aid.
However, pricing will be increased beyond consumption of 180 m3 per year, or that of a family of
“six to seven people”
, assures Greater Lyon.
This concerns, according to metropolitan estimates,
“less than 5% of households”
.
“It’s about supporting people to return to more reasonable use
,” explained Florestan Groult.
Also read: “More than 2 billion people in the world do not have satisfactory access to drinking water”
Progressive rates for professionals
The last part concerns professionals, who will also be subject to a progressive rate, in four installments.
The difference between the first (annual consumption between 0 and 180 m3) and the last (from 18,000 m3) will not exceed +15%.
This new pricing structure concerns the variable part of the price of drinking water (i.e. approximately 44% of the total bill, which is also made up of the cost of sanitation, fees and VAT).
The prices themselves are set by the authority and revised each year in June.
In 2024, the price excluding tax per cubic meter, for the variable part, was 1.1506 euros, a price
“at the bottom of the scale”
in France, according to Anne Grosperrin.
Several cities, including Montpellier and Dunkirk, already have progressive water prices.
On March 30, 2023, President Emmanuel Macron wanted to generalize this measure to prepare the country for droughts caused by global warming.