Benferri replaces water and sewage fees with a non-tax benefit

The Plenary Session of the Benferri City Council, in an ordinary session held on July 23, 2026, initially approved the Municipal Ordinance regulating the non-tax public patrimonial payment for the use of the drinking water supply and sewerage services of the municipality, along with its corresponding tariff annexes. The agreement, published in the Official Gazette of the Province of Alicante number 165, dated September 1, 2026 (document 6623), is subject to public information and a hearing for interested parties for 30 days.

The new ordinance replaces the fee model with a non-tax public patrimonial payment, a change in legal nature that is coordinated with the provisional suppression of the fee for the drinking water supply service and the fee for the sewerage service, as well as the repeal of the corresponding tax ordinances.

Change of Tariff Model

The ordinance incorporates the update of the tariffs for the drinking water supply and sewerage services through the application of the review formulas provided for in the concession contract. Additionally, it establishes a dedicated quota destined for the Municipal Hydraulic Infrastructure Renovation Fund, with the objective of financing the improvement and maintenance of the networks.

The effectiveness of the suppression of the fees and the repeal of the tax ordinances will be coordinated with the entry into force of the new regulating ordinance for the non-tax patrimonial payment.

Period for Allegations and Procedure

The agreement is subject to public information and a hearing for interested parties for a period of 30 days, counted from the day following the publication of the announcement in the Official Gazette of the Province of Alicante, in accordance with Article 49 of Law 7/1985, of April 2, Regulating the Bases of the Local Regime. In parallel, and in accordance with Article 17 of Royal Legislative Decree 2/2004, of March 5, the provisional agreements for the suppression of the fees and the repeal of their tax ordinances are publicly displayed during the same period.

During this period, the file may be examined at the Secretariat of the Benferri City Council, at Plaza de la Constitución, no. 1, as well as through the electronic office and the municipal Transparency Portal. Claims, suggestions, or observations may be submitted via:

• The General Registry of the City Council.
• The municipal electronic office.
• Any of the means provided for in Article 16.4 of Law 39/2015, of October 1, on the Common Administrative Procedure.

Effects if no allegations are made

If no claims or suggestions are submitted during the public information period, the agreement for the initial approval of the ordinance shall be understood as definitively adopted, in accordance with Article 49.c) of Law 7/1985, without prejudice to the inclusion in the file of the mandatory report from the Price Commission of the Generalitat regarding the rates subject to regional intervention. Likewise, if no claims are filed against the provisional agreements for the suppression of taxes, these shall be understood as definitively adopted according to Article 17.3 of the consolidated text of the Law Regulating Local Treasuries.

The measure represents a significant change for the residents of Benferri, who will see the water and sewerage service rates updated and will finance, through a purpose-specific fee, the renovation of the municipal hydraulic infrastructures, in a process that is now open to citizen participation during the public exhibition period.

Source: Official Gazette of the Province of Alicante, No. 165, of September 1, 2026, III. Local Administration, page 1 (official reference: 6623).