France: New water pricing in Lyon

From today, the 1st of January, drinking water in the Lyon area will be charged at a different rate: the first 12 m3 will be free, but then it will be more expensive.

Bruno Bernard, President of the Greater Lyon Area, has announced that the first cubic metres of water will be “free” “to guarantee the vital needs” of the inhabitants. Lyon had announced its intention to introduce progressive pricing for drinking water from 2025. Now it’s a done deal:

“The first cubic metres of water are now free for our residents, up to 12 cubic metres per household, to guarantee essential needs. Water is not a commodity like any other.”

The second band, which concerns the majority of households, corresponds to water consumption between 12 m3 and 180 m3 per year. The tariff is €1.296/m3 excluding VAT.

Finally, there is the third band, which applies to the largest consumers. Above 180 m3, the price per litre is doubled (2.592 €/m3 excluding tax).

This pricing has been criticised as being unsocial because it is a flat rate for the household and does not take into account the number of people living together, thus penalising larger families. For example, a household of 4 or 5 people consuming 120 m3 per year, i.e. band 2, will see its bill increase by around twenty euros per year in 2025.

To partially compensate, a ‘water solidarity payment’ will be introduced, estimated at between 20 and 80 euros per household concerned. The payment is intended for users for whom the water bill represents more than 3% of their financial resources, in particular to avoid deprivation of basic necessities. Between 100,000 and 120,000 households are expected to be affected.

With these new tariffs, the Lyon metropolitan area wants to “encourage everyone to save water”, with the aim of reducing water consumption by 15% by 2035. The aim is to preserve a finite resource.

Several cities, including Montpellier and Dunkirk, already have progressive water tariffs. On 30 March this year, President Emmanuel Macron said he wanted to extend this measure nationwide to prepare the country for droughts caused by global warming.

Sources (French): LyonMag.com / BFM Lyon / Radio Scoop /

Share This Post