A new tariff for centralized water supply and wastewater disposal has officially come into effect in the capital of Ukraine. The corresponding decree was published on the official portal of the Kyiv City State Administration (KCGA), after which the document entered into legal force. City residents are facing an increase in utility prices, though authorities opted for a compromise, abandoning previously discussed radical price jumps ahead of the winter season.
New Rates and Validity Period
According to the approved document, the total cost of centralized water supply and wastewater disposal services for the population of Kyiv is now 63.79 hryvnias per cubic meter. It is important to note that the introduced decree has a clear timeframe and will remain in effect until December 31, 2026. Previously, a scenario was actively discussed where the tariff could rise to nearly 90 hryvnias per cubic meter, but the city administration insisted on price containment to protect citizens' wallets.
Economic Background and Arguments of Kyivvodokanal
The management of PJSC "HC 'Kyivvodokanal'" and specialized experts note that the price adjustment is a forced step. Representatives of the enterprise emphasize that most other Ukrainian water utilities have already set rates at 90 hryvnias and above due to large-scale increases in the cost of key resources such as electricity, fuels, lubricants, and reagents. In addition, chronic funding shortages negatively affected employee salary payments and the maintenance of critical infrastructure in proper condition.
Controversial Data
Certain discussions have emerged in the public space and expert circles regarding the pace and legality of the price revision. While the KCGA and Kyivvodokanal state the need to gradually bring tariffs into compliance with economically justified costs taking into account the interests of the population, statements had previously been made about a potential one-time price increase to nearly 90 hryvnias per cubic meter. Prior to the adoption of the new decree, the general tariff in the capital stood at 30.38 hryvnias per cubic meter, and on September 3, the Kyiv City Council supported the initiative to change the rates, which sparked active discussion among residents and housing and communal services experts.
The KCGA emphasizes that the current compromise approach helps solve two critical tasks: to curb a sharp inflationary blow to the population and simultaneously maintain the stability of Kyiv's water supply and wastewater networks ahead of the start of the new heating season. City authorities, together with municipal services, intend to continue monitoring the situation in the housing and communal services sector, prevent critical failures, and seek a balance between enterprises' real costs and citizens' solvency.
