ARESEP will be asked to approve a 30% rate hike for the 500,000 clients of the water company AyA. Each family will pay on average and additional 1350 colones per month. A average family that now pays ¢4500 per month would pay ¢5850 (For 24  cubic meters).

The minimum rate for up to 15 cubic meters would rise from ¢2,300 to ¢3,000.

For businesses, an average user would see the bill rise from ¢20,500 to ¢26,650 (33 cubic meters ).

Ricardo Sancho, executive president of AyA, said that the hike is necessary due to inflation and would only cover operating and administrative costs.

James Phillips, Planning Director, added that the rate hike contemplates inflation from 2005, all of 2006 and 2007.  The last rate hike went into effect in January of 2005 and was 6 %