Egypt hikes water prices up to 50%, sewage fees surge 92%

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Thu, 03 Aug 2017 - 10:11 GMT

BY

Thu, 03 Aug 2017 - 10:11 GMT

Water - Via Filckr

Water - Via Filckr

CAIRO – 3 August 2017: Egypt’s Prime Minister Sherif Ismail decided to raise water prices and sewage fees as of August 1, according to the official gazette on Wednesday.

The price of water for residential use rose to range between LE 0.45 ($0.02)and LE 2.15 per cubic meter, distributed over three consumption categories.

The first category for the consumption between zero and 10 cubic meters increased to LE 0.45 from LE 0.30. The second one for the consumption between 11 and 20 cubic meters went up to LE 1.20 from LE 0.70.

The category consumes between 21 and 30 cubic meters was raised to LE 1.65 from LE 1.55, while the fourth which consumes up to 40 cubic meters and more saw an increase to LE 2 and LE 2.15, respectively.

As for the sewage fees, which are being calculated as a percentage of the water prices, the cabinet decided to hike them between 63 percent and 73 percent of the water price, up from 57 percent.

The decision also included a rise for water prices for business to range from LE 2 to LE 6.95, depending on industry and consumption levels, the official gazette said.

The cabinet’s move comes days after subsidiaries’ cut for fuel, electricity and wheat.

In late June, the government increased the

fuel prices

by around 35 percent, followed by

new electricity tariffs

in early July, with increases between 18 percent and 35 percent across different consumption brackets.

Moreover, Ministry of Supply issued a decision to stop

subsidizing flour

starting August, in a move that is expected to reduce wheat imports 10 percent.

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