16:36, 22 мая 2023, Bishkek - 24.kg news agency , Maria ORLOVA
It is planned to increase the tariff for drinking water in Bishkek every year. Vice Mayor of the capital Zhyrgalbek Shamyraliev said at a meeting of the permanent commission of the Bishkek City Council on housing and communal services, fuel and energy complex, transport, communications and ecology.
The proposal was voiced by the deputy of the City Council Kazybek Ergeshov. He noted that, according to Bishkekvodokanal, even after the tariff increase, it will not cover the cost of water.
«And in a year or two you will come again with a request to raise the tariff. Is it possible to immediately adopt a gradual increase? This will not hit your pocket, and you will gradually reach the cost price,» Kazybek Ergeshov said.
Zhyrgalbek Shamyraliev replied that such an option is being worked out. «We want to tie the tariff to inflation in the future so that it is increased every year. We want to submit a draft resolution to the Bishkek City Council in the second half of the year, and we will develop it now,» he said.
The last time the cold water tariff was raised was in November 2019. Then it was increased 1.5 times: from 5.38 to 8.1 soms per cubic meter, and was almost doubled for sewerage — from 1.2 soms to 2.3. Now it is proposed to increase it to 10.45 soms per cubic meter of water and up to 3.45 soms per cubic meter of wastewater.
At the same time, according to Taalaibek Orozov, head of Bishkekvodokanal, the net cost of a cubic meter of water to date is 12.9 soms.