LA.SY. of North Corfu for the settlement of debts of DEWA | Start Media Corfu TV

Arbitrary user fees, non-measurement of water meters for years, non-sending of invoices and a series of other elements that make up the image of at least a malfunction is what the People’s Rally of North Corfu is talking about regarding a recent announcement by the administration of the Municipal Water Supply and Sewerage Company of North Corfu for regulation of the residents’ debts.

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In particular, LA.SY. points out that the newly established administration and also the Municipality of North Corfu with the decision to settle debts is trying to once again put the burdens on the backs of the popular family.

And the announcement continues:

“The administration of the newly established DEWA of North Corfu, which consists of the municipal authority, the faction of Mr. Varelis and other bodies, announced these days its unanimous decision to regulate the “debts” of the residents of North Corfu, with the which decision puts the burdens, once again, on the backs of the popular family.

The Municipality’s announcement moves in the same direction. And reasonable questions arise:

• What are the “dues” mentioned in the notice? The amount written on the last bill? But bills are sent (although not everywhere), but measurements have to be done for many years. What are the “dues” for consumers who haven’t received a bill in years?
• What are the “debts” in the case of broken water meters or water meters that exist, but have not been transferred to the system, according to the admission of the current president of DEWA North Corfu? Will they only pay the fixed amount? Whether it’s a household or a luxury villa that rents for hundreds and thousands of euros a night? Will the same flat rate be paid for water consumed in domestic use and for water in swimming pools, even though a household in a year uses less water than is needed to fill a swimming pool once?
• Do the “debts” also concern the cubic meters of water that have been randomly and arbitrarily charged to many accounts while in recent years no measurement has been made? We have in mind a case where in a closed house with zero consumption, apart from the property, cubic meters worth more than 100 euros were charged!
• In addition, the bills that come have interest. Interest on amounts not measured by water meters? Interest on bills that never reached households?
• What are the €1,000,000 projects that have been done in North Corfu and which the Municipality owes to contractors, when there are still areas that get water with asbestos pipes?!

And the biggest question: How much can we afford to pay, why and for whom?

The announcement of both DEYAKB and the Municipality (which, although they start as appeals, end with the threat of confirming the debts to the tax office!) share the responsibility with the thousands of household consumers of North Corfu, who are already paying dearly for its social good of water — forced to look for individual solutions, by building tanks, buying motors and bottling in winter and summer. And now they are called to put their hand in their pocket again, and in an age of unbridled precision.

The increase in PPC tariffs, the huge shortages in infrastructure, water supply projects, water meters, equipment and personnel are not the people’s responsibility. It is the result of the policies of underfunding, understaffing and discrediting the public services of all governments so far, which do not prioritize the projects necessary for the people, paving the way for privatization and turning water into a good commodity. It is the result of the tolerance and support of all the municipal authorities that managed the DEYA, whatever form they took.

We request:

• Debt cancellation for vulnerable social groups (unemployed, large families, disabled, single-parent families, low-pensioners, etc.).
• Cancellation of interest and very low installments for domestic use, for small shops and small rentals.
• Deletion of part of the assets and debts by 20% in areas that have a permanent water shortage problem, mainly in the summer months. The residents only have obligations to pay the fixed water fee, but not the right to have water permanently, i.e. permanently?
• Direct collection without regulation in large hotels, large rental complexes, luxury villas, supermarket chains, etc. Where there are no water meters, to calculate and pay for the water they have consumed and not just the fixed amount.
• That the DEYA of North Corfu take back the threats regarding the certification of the debts to the tax office. At a time when fund crows are taking people’s homes for little debt, these threats only show indifference.
• Not only no increase in tariffs in future, but also reduction in fixed and cubic price for domestic use and small professionals and free supply of water to the socially weak. Price increase for large companies and chains, high-profit activities (luxury villa rentals, etc.).
• Immediate measures should be taken (repairs of damage, supply of spare parts or machines, provision of craftsmen, etc.) so that in the summer the residents of North Corfu do not say water is a waste for another year — already, before the tourist season even begins with the increased consumption, there are areas (Karousades, Sinies, etc.) that have been without water for even a week due to damage, broken pipes, etc.”