In Guadeloupe, the agglomeration community of South Basse-Terre announced
“the cancellation of all unpaid bills relating to private water and sanitation consumption”
, or 13.16 million euros, for the municipalities of former water authority.
“Since 2020, there will be 29.75 million euros in bills (...) which will have been canceled for users
,” specifies the president of the urban community Thierry Abelli in a press release.
He recalls a first round of cancellation of 16.59 million euros between 2020 and 2023 and specifies that the invoices
“emanating from companies and public entities, which represent approximately 10 million euros”
, are not canceled. .
“The reasons for this decision are multifactorial
,” the elected official told AFP.
In particular
“the precariousness of families living in the territory”
, but also a regulatory obligation to close the accounts despite
“exemptions and deadlines obtained”
, and also
“irregularities observed in invoicing”
, established by the former water authority while the meters were sometimes defective or non-existent.
Serious problems with access to drinking water
“These figures are already recorded in the deficit, this will not change the financial state of the community
,” underlines Thierry Abelli, at the head of an over-indebted community which calls on users to
“pay the bills from now on, in view of this considerable effort.
For years, Guadeloupe has experienced serious problems with access to drinking water, numerous cuts, failures in sanitation, but also in the good technical and political management of its water networks, divided into several authorities. public, creating many refusals to pay bills.
In September 2021, the law imposed on the territory a common management, the Joint Syndicate for Water and Sanitation Management of Guadeloupe (SMGEAG).
However, all the problems persist, still causing numerous unpaid bills.