Water bills to go up nearly eleven per cent

Galasa will be increasing their charges for water supply and sewage disposal by 10.9 per cent, to be applied immediately. This rise will affect residents of Antas, Arboleas, Bedar, Carboneras, Cuevas del Almanzora, Garrucha, Huercal Overa, Los Gallardos, Mojacar, Pulpi, Taberno, Turre, Vera and Zurgena. The increase was approved in a meeting of the Diputacion de Almeria where it was hotly debated by the opposition Popular Party who accused the Socialist PSOE/Andalucia Party coalition of not looking for an alternative to what they described as a disproportionate rise. The socialist's spokesperson responded that 6.91% of the increase corresponded to the official inflation rate for 2006 and 2007 and pointed out that the change of customers to CODEUR in the Vera Playa area meant a loss of more than a million euros for Galasa. She went on to add that the rise would mean only an extra 1.50 euros on the average bill.