Billing and pricing policy

In most cases where Veolia Water operates the water services, billing is based on precisely calculating consumption from correct and frequent meter reading carried out with as little inconvenience as possible.

In most countries the money is collected on behalf of the local authority. It is they who set the tariffs and receive the money collected for it by the operating company.

Veolia Water can also suggest to the local authority that it should implement pricing formulas better suited to what consumers can actually afford to pay.

Veolia Water wants to make paying water bills easier by providing different ways to pay and adapting how you can pay to local circumstances such as introducing mobile offices or paying over the internet.

Veolia Water is involved in social actions set up to reduce the cost of essential services for those on a low income:

• social funds
• social tariffs
• socially assisted connections
• etc.

In France

Veolia Water has played an active role in implementing the national program "Solidarité Eau" (Solidarity Water), which brings together the French State, the water supply companies, regional authorities and specialist associations.

This means Veolia Eau, the name the company trades under in France, is committed to ensuring that water services are maintained for people in financial difficulty, and is involved in wiping off their debts by taking care of all or some of the bills via its social funds.

In Morocco

Since 2002 Veolia Water has been managing the drinking water and wastewater services as well as the electricity services for Rabat-Salé, Tangiers and Tetouan via its subsidiaries Redal and Amendis.

One of its first tasks is to carry out 35,000 socially assisted connections to the water mains and 40,000 to the wastewater system in the first five years of these contracts.

Payment is spread over five to seven years as a way of facilitating connection to the public network for those in the community on a low income.