The local government designates by a decision the water undertaking to provide water services on its territory. Abstraction of drinking water from the public water supply and directing wastewater to the public sewerage system is regulated by a contract concluded between the water undertaking and the customer. The conclusion of a water service contract is subject to the connection of the water supply and sewerage system of the customer’s property to the public water supply and sewerage system managed by the water undertaking.
Connection to the public water supply and sewerage system is based on a subscription contract between the water undertaking and the customer, which, in turn, is based on the rules on connection to the public water supply and sewerage system in force in the territory of the local government. The following requirements are included in the policy approved by the local government and must be followed by the applicant and the water undertaking when submitting and processing the subscription application:
- the requirements to be met by the subscription application and the deadline and procedure for responding to the subscription application;
- requirements for the subscription conditions and the subscription contract for the property;
- the procedure for payment of the subscription fee.
In order to connect to the public water supply and sewerage system, the applicant should first contact the water undertaking, which will, if necessary, provide instructions on how to prepare a subscription proposal or which conditions/prerequisites must be met for connecting a property to the public water supply and/or sewerage system to be able to join the system.
In the case of a public water supply and sewerage system, the water undertaking must allow the person wishing to join the system to connect the water supply of the property to the public water supply and/or the sewerage system of the property to the public sewerage system. Exceptionally, the water undertaking may also refuse to conclude a subscription contract, which the water undertaking must justify in writing to the applicant within 30 days of receiving the subscription application.
The water undertaking has the right not to conclude a subscription contract if:
- it is not possible to meet the water demand of the place of consumption of the applicant from the public water supply system without impairing the proper functioning thereof;
- waste water or rainwater from the place of consumption of the applicant cannot be discharged into the public sewerage system without causing damage due to its quantity or characteristics, or the waste water or rainwater does not comply with the treatment capacity or technology of the waste water treatment plant;
- the applicant wishes to discharge waste water into the public sewerage system with pollution characteristics higher than the limit values laid down in the policy on the use of the public water supply and sewerage systems or in the list of dangerous substances;
- the water supply and sewerage systems at the place of consumption do not meet the technical conditions for connection;
- there is no separated public sewerage system to receive rainwater and the discharge of rainwater into the combined sewerage system is prohibited by the rules for connection to a combined water supply and sewerage system or the rules for the use of a combined water supply and sewerage system.
Connection charges
The water undertaking designated by the local government has the right to charge connection charges from the person wishing to connect to the public water supply and sewerage system. The amount of the connection charges is calculated by the water undertaking on the basis of the calculation methodology for connection charges. The methodology for calculating the connection charges is approved by the Competition Authority. The water undertaking will publish the agreed methodology on its website. The methodologies for calculating connection charges agreed by the Competition Authority are also published on the website of the Competition Authority. If there are any questions about the connection charges or the amount thereof, the person wishing to connect should contact the water company and ask for clarification about the components of the connection charges and their cost.
The water undertaking is responsible for maintaining the public water supply and sewerage system. The water supply and sewerage system of the property is not part of the public water supply and sewerage system managed by the water undertaking and must be maintained by the customer. The customer must also allow the water undertaking to install water meters on the water supply system of the property and ensure that they are maintained.