PUC Approves 13.5% Water Rate Adjustment, Bills to Rise in April

Water consumers across Belize will see a small increase in their monthly bills after the Public Utilities Commission, PUC, issued its final decision on Belize Water Services Limited’s tariff review for the period 2026 to 2031.  Instead of the 20 percent increase requested by BWSL, the PUC approved a 13.5 percent adjustment to the mean water rate. For customers, this translates to an estimated average increase of about 5.5 percent on monthly bills.  The Commission also introduced a minimum charge for customers who use very small amounts of water, up to 600 gallons, meaning those users will now pay a base bill even if consumption is low. However, the regular per-gallon rates will continue to apply for customers using more than 600 gallons.  The decision follows public consultation held between November 18 and December 3 of last year, during which the Commission reviewed comments and conducted its own analysis before finalizing the structure.  The new approved rates will take effect on April 1 and remain in place until March 31, 2031.  According to the PUC, the adjustment is intended to allow BWSL to recover the cost of supplying water while keeping the increase lower than what the company initially requested.