Vorarlberg audit finds flaws in municipal water and sewer fees

Several municipalities in Vorarlberg are not calculating water and wastewater charges correctly, according to a report by ORF. The state audit office also found major differences in fees among the region’s 96 municipalities.

The municipal association acknowledged that some municipalities lack the required fee calculations, but said the charges were not being imposed arbitrarily.

Last year, a two-person household paid €582 for water and wastewater in Klaus, €551 in Ludesch and €453 in Schwarzach. The state audit office said the differences were not based solely on objective factors.

Walter Gohm, president of the municipal association, rejected claims of arbitrary charges. He said fees differed for various reasons, including the topography of municipalities and, in particular, the challenges faced by smaller municipalities with widely dispersed settlements.

Unclear municipal charges have nevertheless angered residents and led to complaints to Klaus Feurstein, the state ombudsman. He said the complaints often concerned how the fees were collected and whether residents could understand the basis for the charges.

“We see that certain fees are collected differently and that, in some cases, it is not understandable to citizens on what basis this happens,” Feurstein said.

Municipalities are responsible for properly establishing the basis for charges covering services such as waste, water and sewers, he said. The charges are set under a regulation, and their calculation must be transparent and comprehensible.

Feurstein also said residents needed some certainty about future charges, so municipalities could determine what they needed to maintain the water supply.

The audit office specifically criticised municipalities that operate without any fee calculation. Gohm said most cities and municipalities did carry out the calculations, but those that had not now needed to complete them. He said transparency was important so residents could understand how the charges were calculated.

Residents can use legal remedies to challenge charges, but proceedings before the administrative court or, ultimately, the Constitutional Court can be time-consuming and expensive, with no guarantee of success.