La Colilla makes the water tariff ordinance definitive

The City Council of La Colilla has finalized the modification of the Regulatory Ordinance for the Rates of the Drinking Water Supply Service, including connection fees, the installation and use of meters, and sewerage fees. The agreement, adopted in a plenary session and published in the Official Gazette of the Province of Ávila number 168, dated September 1, 2026, enters into force as no claims were filed during the public exhibition period.

The regulation sets the tax quotas for the service and defines the infractions and sanctions applicable to subscribers, with a regime that distinguishes between minor and serious offenses. The full text is made public in compliance with Article 17.4 of the Recast Text of the Law Regulating Local Treasuries, approved by Royal Legislative Decree 2/2004, of March 5.

Connection Fees

Article 8 of the ordinance establishes the rates for the provision of the supply and discharge service. The fee for the granting of a license or authorization for connection to the general water and sewerage network is required as a one-time payment and consists of a fixed amount per dwelling or premises:

• €360 for connection to the general water and sewerage network.
• €250 for connections exclusively for wastewater from the sanitation network, plus the cost of the wastewater meter if applicable.
• €120 for those who, having previously requested only the connection to the sanitation network, subsequently request connection to the supply network.

The costs of connection to the general network and the installation of meters shall be borne by the taxpayer. The ordinance also provides for the refund of the difference to subscribers who, prior to the entry into force of the modification, had paid the full water and sewerage fee.

Minor and Serious Infractions

Article 10 classifies administrative infractions as minor and serious. Minor infractions include using drinking water without a granted connection, tampering with meters without municipal authorization, introducing unauthorized modifications or taps, preventing the inspection of premises, or failing to report changes in ownership.

The commission of three minor offenses within one year, discharging into the sanitation network without a wastewater meter, abusive use of the service, refusing to install a meter, fraudulent manipulation of measuring equipment, or causing negligent damage to the pipelines are considered serious. Any natural or legal person who carries out any of the defined actions shall be the responsible party.

Sanctioning Regime

Article 11 sets the economic sanctions, which are graded according to intent, the nature of the infraction, the damages caused, the benefit to the offender, and recidivism:

• Minor infractions: fine of €150 to €600.
• Serious infractions: fine of €601 to €6,000.

In addition to pecuniary sanctions, the City Council may order the restoration of works to their original state, the repair of damages at the offender’s expense, the temporary or permanent closure of the domestic supply, or deny new connection rights to those with pending sanctions or receipts. Continued infractions may be subject to coercive fines.

An administrative appeal may be filed against the agreement within two months of its publication before the High Court of Justice of Castilla y León, based in Burgos, in accordance with Article 19 of the Recast Text of the Law Regulating Local Treasuries. The announcement was signed in La Colilla on August 17, 2026, by the mayor, Juan Carlos Montero Muñoz.

The new regulation affects all subscribers in the municipality and reinforces municipal control over the use of drinking water, an essential service whose management is now organized with clear tariffs and a deterrent sanctioning regime against fraud and improper use.

Source: Official Gazette of the Province of Ávila, no. 168, September 1, 2026, Local Administration (official reference: number 1725/26).