ERSARA Recommendation aims to protect consumers in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic
The Entity for the Regulation of Water and Waste Services of the Azores (ERSARA), in view of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, which causes the COVID-19 disease, has issued a recommendation on the exceptional and temporary procedures to be adopted in the provision of water supply services for human consumption, wastewater sanitation and waste management.
The document contains a series of recommendations aimed at protecting the users of these essential public services, considering the expected effects of the pandemic on the economy, but respecting the principle of autonomy of the entities responsible for the management of these services.
Hence, ERSARA proposes, among other measures, to ensure continuity in the provision of these services, even in cases of late payments, and the suspension of the calculation and collection of interest for debts generated during the COVID-19 pandemic period.
During this period, ERSARA recommends that special attention should be paid to the uninterrupted supply of priority facilities, namely hospitals and other health facilities, including those that are mobilised for this purpose on an exceptional basis, as well as public security and civil protection facilities.
ERSARA also suggests that the managing entities should assess the possibility of fractional payment of debts generated during the pandemic period, at the request of users, until the end of the year 2020 and with no interest charged on arrears.