The Board submits the Water Fund decree for public consultation

The General Directorate of Water of the Ministry of Sustainable Development has opened the public information period regarding the draft decree regulating the Investment Fund for Integrated Water Cycle Infrastructure and the transfer regime for local entities provided for in Law 2/2022, of February 18, on the Waters of Castilla-La Mancha. The resolution, dated October 9, 2026, and signed by the Director General of Water, Montserrat Muro Martín, is published in the Official Gazette of Castilla-La Mancha (DOCM) No. 198, of October 15, 2026, section III, page 36637, under reference 2026/7448. The deadline for submitting allegations is 20 business days.

A fund financed by the WFD levy

The text submitted for consultation develops the mandate of Article 43 of Law 2/2022, of February 18, which creates the Investment Fund for Integrated Water Cycle Infrastructure in the region and finances it with revenues from the WFD levy (Water Framework Directive), a tax specific to the Regional Government of Castilla-La Mancha intended for the recovery of costs of water-related services.

The collection of the levy, after deducting management costs, is earmarked for the execution of investments in integrated water cycle infrastructure and the improvement of aquatic ecosystems, with four objectives:

• The achievement of the environmental objectives set by the legislation and the applicable hydrological planning.
• The adequate provision of water, in quantity and quality, to the municipalities of the region.
• Support for administrations that exercise competencies in the field of the urban water cycle.
• The restoration of environmental impacts caused in the different phases of the water cycle.

The decree under processing must also establish the transfer regime for city councils, that is, the channel through which municipalities receive funding for hydraulic works.

Twenty business days to submit allegations

The resolution submits the project to public information for a period of 20 business days starting from the business day following its publication in the DOCM, so that any interested person may formulate observations, suggestions, or allegations. The text will be available at:

• The notice board of the electronic headquarters of the JCCM (www.jccm.es).
• The Participation Portal of Castilla-La Mancha (participacion.castillalamancha.es).
• The headquarters of the General Directorate of Water, at Avda. Río Estenilla (Toledo), Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 14:00 hours.

Allegations may be submitted through the Participation Portal or at any of the registries provided for in Article 16 of Law 39/2015, of October 1, addressed to the head of the General Directorate of Water, Avda. Río Estenilla, 45071 Toledo.

Citizen participation and change of managing body

The resolution also publicizes the agreement to initiate the participatory process, adopted on October 9, 2026, under Law 8/2019, of December 13, on Participation of Castilla-La Mancha. The public information procedure is based on article 36.3 of Law 11/2003, of September 25, of the Government and the Consultative Council, and on Order 73/2023, of March 10, which regulates the Electronic Notice Board.

Article 43 of the water law attributed the management of the fund to the Water Agency. Following the extinction of this body, the Department of Sustainable Development assumed its competencies in accordance with article 20 of Law 1/2026, of March 26, on Administrative and Tax Measures, such that the programming, promotion, approval, execution, and operation of hydraulic works of regional interest now correspond to the General Directorate of Water, according to article 10 bis of Decree 112/2023, of July 25, as amended by Decree 17/2026, of April 14.

First works funded by the fund

The fund is already being applied to specific actions. DOCM no. 192, of October 6, 2026, published the agreement between the Department of Sustainable Development and the City Council of Vianos (Albacete) for the improvement of the municipality’s high-pressure water supply, with a new pipeline between the El Colmenar and Los Pocicos reservoirs (reference 2026/7073).

The action has a base tender budget of 107,412.48 euros (VAT included) and a material execution period of two months, with the following distribution:

• Regional Government of Castilla-La Mancha: 105,264.23 euros (98%).
• City Council of Vianos: 2,148.25 euros (2%).

The decree arrives at a key moment for the municipalities: the DMA canon is beginning to consolidate as a stable source of income, and the new regulation must organize how those investments are distributed among the city councils that opt for financing of hydraulic works. The legal certainty of the agreements and the capacity of the councils to plan supply, sanitation, and purification will depend on its final wording.

Source: Official Gazette of Castilla-La Mancha, no. 198, of October 15, 2026, section III, page 36637 (official reference: 2026/7448).