Zahínos debuts new drinking water regulations with fines of up to 3,000 euros

The Zahínos City Council has definitively approved the new Regulations for the drinking water supply service, which comes into effect on Saturday, October 24, one day after its full publication in the Official Gazette of the Province of Badajoz (announcement 4073/2026, number 204, of October 23, 2026). The text, consisting of 75 articles divided into 12 titles, establishes the obligations of the supplying entity and the subscribers, regulates the service connections and supply conditions, and establishes a sanctioning regime with fines of up to 3,000 euros.

The Plenary of the Corporation approved the modification file in a session held on June 1, 2026, and the agreement became final as no claims were filed during the public exhibition period; therefore, it is executive without further formalities in accordance with article 17.4 of the consolidated text of Law 2/2004, of March 5, regulating Local Treasuries. Article 74 of the regulations specifies that the entry into force occurs the day after the final publication in the provincial gazette.

Interested parties may file a contentious-administrative appeal against the agreement before the Contentious-Administrative Court of Badajoz, following a request for reconsideration before the Plenary, within one month of publication. The document is signed by the mayor-president, Gregorio Gallego Borrego, and by the secretary-auditor, Juan José Torrado Crespo.

Distribution of responsibilities between the company and subscribers

The regulations declare the service to be under municipal ownership, regardless of whether it is provided directly or indirectly, and delimits the physical boundary of responsibility at the service connection stopcock. The supplying entity assumes, among other obligations:

• Guaranteeing the potability of the water up to the stopcock and maintaining pressure within legal margins.
• Maintaining municipal networks and installations and attending to emergency breakdowns permanently.
• Providing notice of scheduled interruptions at least 24 hours in advance, preferably by electronic means.
• Responding to written complaints within a period not exceeding one month.
• Applying the tariffs approved by the City Council and guaranteeing the data protection of the subscribers.

Subscribers, for their part, must sign the supply contract, pay bills punctually—including consumption due to leaks or breakdowns in the interior installation—, keep their installations in good condition, install backflow prevention systems when water from another source exists, and facilitate access for accredited personnel for readings and inspections.

Service connections, uses, and fixed prices

The installation and maintenance of service connections are the exclusive responsibility of the supplying entity, charged to the petitioner, who will receive the budget within a maximum period of one month and will have 30 business days to pay it before the request is considered withdrawn. Annex I sets the unit prices:

• Half-connection of 25 mm up to 4 meters with a 13/15 remote-reading meter: 209.55 euros.
• Full connection of 25 mm up to 4 meters with a 13/15 remote-reading meter: 329.30 euros.
• Replacement of an old meter with a 13/15 remote-reading meter: 194.62 euros.
• Setback: 42.20 euros; additional meter of 25 mm connection: 7.63 euros.

A property is considered to have service when the distribution network is within 100 linear meters. The text distinguishes seven classes of supply—domestic, commercial, industrial, agricultural and livestock, construction, fire protection, and other uses—and prohibits using the water for purposes other than those contracted or transferring it to third parties.

Sanctions, fraud, and protection of vulnerable persons

Infractions are classified as minor, serious, and very serious, with fines of up to 750 euros, from 750.01 to 1,500 euros, and from 1,500.01 to 3,000 euros, respectively; anyone who commits two or more infractions of the same or similar nature in the last two years is considered a repeat offender. The regulation lists 16 causes for suspension of supply, including non-payment, use other than that contracted, tampering with the meter, or the impossibility of reading for four consecutive periods, and allows for ex officio termination three months after the cut-off if the issue is not rectified.

Regarding fraud, the settlement is calculated with a reference flow of 0.7 multiplied by the sum of Q2 and Q3 of the meter, with three hours of uninterrupted daily use. Chapter IX also introduces protection for economically vulnerable customers: supply will not be suspended for non-payment as long as municipal social services communicate this situation, which lasts for one year and is renewable, and the possible approval of social tariffs or a social fund is foreseen.

Impact for residents

The regulation replaces the previous framework and affects both newly formalized contracts and existing ones, meaning that Zahínos subscribers will see updated rules on meters, readings, billing, and supply cuts starting this weekend. The obligation to move meters outdoors or install remote-reading equipment, at the user’s expense, and the bonus for leaks—limited to two consecutive periods and with a 24-month interval between requests—are two of the points that will have the greatest impact on household economies.

Source: Official Gazette of the Province of Badajoz, No. 204, October 23, 2026, Local Administration (City Councils), pág. 1-2 (official reference: announcement 4073/2026).