Meyer believes that the local politicians have postponed the necessary maintenance of water pipes and investments in sewage treatment plants for far too long. – That’s why these huge bills are coming to our household now, he says. The organization has collected figures from 14 of the most populous municipalities in Norway. Most have increased their fees much more than prices have otherwise risen in society in the past year. Source: Homeowners Fee increase of several thousand In Sarpsborg in Østfold, fees for water and sewage are increasing by 44 per cent from last year to this year. For a detached house of 120 square metres, the fee rises from NOK 10,190 to NOK 14,675, an increase of NOK 4,585 in one year. Many home owners must prepare to pay much more for water and drainage this year. – The municipalities must run this as efficiently as possible to slow down the increase in fees, says general secretary Morten Andreas Meyer of the Home Owners’ National Association. Photo: Kjartan Rørslett / news – It’s a very strong increase, several thousand Swedish kroner a year, says Rolf Thoreby. He lives in a detached house of 110 square meters in Sarpsborg. – I don’t think it’s anything special, but we have to clean up the Oslofjord, says comrade Hans-Petter Ranum, and points out that the cleanup will cost a lot. Ranum lives in a flat in the city, and will notice the increase in rent. Sarpsborg mayor Sindre Martinsen-Evje (Ap) wrote in an e-mail that the reason for the increase in fees is the statutory requirement for the replacement of the sewage network and a new treatment plant. Charges regardless of income – These fees charge the same for all households, regardless of what kind of income they have. And it is particularly hard in rural Norway, which has the highest fees from before, and which will now receive the strongest increase, says Morten Andreas Meyer in Huseierne. It is perhaps not unnatural that it costs more per inhabitant where the houses are far apart and there are fewer people to share the costs with. – But in many municipalities they will not cooperate with the neighboring municipality on water and sewage either. This means that the services are both worse and more expensive than necessary, Meyer believes. The fee shall only cover the municipality’s actual costs for operation, investment and maintenance of the water and sewage network. – Because the municipalities here have a monopoly, the state must set stricter requirements than today to ensure that this happens as efficiently as possible, says Meyer. Old water pipes or sewer pipes that spring and leak quickly become expensive. Photo: Håkon Jonassen Norheim / news Strong increase in fees for many years According to the Building Cost Index prepared by Samfunnskonsomnik Analysis for Huseierne, water fees increased by 46 per cent and drainage fees by 44 per cent from 2010 to 2021. In the same years, prices have otherwise risen by 26 per cent. According to the Association of Consulting Engineers, the total investment need in water and sewage is NOK 570 billion. – Fees will increase in the coming years. That is why it is so important that the municipalities now organize this more effectively so that they do not increase more than is strictly necessary, says Meyer. Sarpsborg municipality will build a new sewage treatment plant and replace waste pipes for NOK 1.2 billion. Fees people in the city have to pay a sharp increase. Photo: news Lars Håkon Pedersen
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Municipal fees for water and sewage increase sharply – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
