The four PS councilors voted against and the CDU councilor abstained.

The socialist Artur Feio mentioned that Agere, the company responsible for these services, has been very profitable but has not made the desired and necessary investments.

For Artur Feio, Agere, in the face of "increasing levels" of profits, should lower tariffs and prices instead of maintaining them.

"There is room, capacity and financial availability for this", he stressed.

The CDU councilor, Vítor Rodrigues, agreed with the PS's considerations, but recalled that Agere still has important investments to make.

"Maintaining prices and tariffs is a positive step, but it is not enough", he said.

The proposal voted on today states that Agere will maintain prices and tariffs for all users, domestic and non-domestic, throughout 2024.

"This measure represents an ongoing effort to consolidate the evolution of the tariff, even in the face of the generalized price increase registered in previous years", it stresses.

Agere reiterates its commitment to reducing the difference between the real costs of the services and the amounts charged to consumers, "without compromising investments in infrastructure and its maintenance".

In addition, it maintains the objective of promoting rational use of water for the benefit of the environment.

The document also states that the tariff freeze is complemented by other tariff reduction measures adopted in previous years, including the extension of the family water tariff, changes in the social tariff, reductions for private social solidarity institutions (IPSS), parish councils and sports associations.

These measures include extending the family water tariff to all households with four or more people, a measure that represented a 40% reduction in the final value of the water portion.

"The social tariff has also been changing, with the expansion of the base of Braga residents who can access this tariff", the proposal also reads.

IPSS have a 12.5% reduction and parish councils also benefit from a 20% reduction.

Sports associations, with the reformulation of the levels, also had a reduction in the water service tariff of around 7%, on average.

With regard to state fees, Agere reflects the mandatory updates, such as the increase in the Waste Management Fee (TGR) from 25 to 30 euros per ton, and the updates to the Water Resources Fee (TRH) for water and sanitation.

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