Water Bills Set to Rise in 2026 as Flat Rate Scrapped

Water bills will increase next year, and the monthly flat rate is being eliminated.  The Public Utilities Commission’s (PUC) Initial Decision on the 2026 Full Tariff Review confirms that consumers can expect to see an estimated 5.5% rise in their monthly bills beginning April 1, 2026. The adjustment comes from the PUC’s approval of a 13.5% increase to the Mean Water Rate (MWR), lower than the 20% hike originally requested by Belize Water Services Limited (BWSL).  The decision was outlined in a public notice issued today, following months of technical review, financial analysis, and public consultation.  Prime Minister John Briceno spoke on the decision, lamenting the need to do so.

John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “It’s a tough one and something that we don’t take lightly. But we have to be realistic. Inflation over the past, since 2020, or the last price increase, the tariff increase, the cost of goods have been going up, salaries have been going up. We’ve been doing a lot of expansions of water systems. And the only way you can do that is if we can get the revenues from the customers. Under that tariff review, there’s $130 million in capital investments. $20 million is going to be for water and sewage expansions in San Pedro, Caye Caulker, Placencia. These are critical areas that we have to protect. They are the ones that are attracting a lot of money into this country, so we have to be able to keep up. And so, unfortunately, it is necessary. I wish we did not have to do that. But I wish you could get another answer. That is why and that’s something that you all tend to forget. We are conscious of what’s going on.”

Along with the rate adjustment, the PUC has approved several changes intended to modernize water service delivery.  The first is the removal of the $8.72 flat rate for customers using up to 1,000 gallons. All consumers will now pay strictly on a per-gallon basis, a move the PUC says improves fairness for low-consumption households.  PUC has also approved $130 million in capital investments for infrastructure upgrades, water production improvements, security enhancements, and equipment modernization with an additional $20 million allocated specifically to expand water production and storage in Placencia, Caye Caulker, and San Pedro, areas experiencing rapid population growth.  There is also the approval for BWSL to increase its contribution toward water main expansions to $6,000 on the mainland and $10,000 in San Pedro and Caye Caulker.  The Commission did not approve any increases to administrative fees and made no decision on commercial water abstraction, noting that this falls under the jurisdiction of the National Integration Water Resources Authority (NIWRA).  The full Initial Decision is available at www.puc.bz, and the public has until December 3, to submit written comments.