Water, Power Tariffs Revised for Expats in Abu Dhabi
ABU DHABI: Expatriates using great quantity of water and electricity must prepare themselves for inflated bills next year under new tariffs announced by the Abu Dhabi Distribution Company (ADDC).
The water tariff for expatriates will increase from Dh9.90 for 1,000 litres to Dh10.55 for those who use more than 5,000 litres a day in a villa, or 700 in a flat, The National reported.
ADDC reportedly said those who use less than those amounts will pay the same rates as they did this year – Dh5.95 for 1,000 litres.
Those who in one day take two five-minute showers, run the tap for 10 minutes, wash one load of clothes, cook for two and flush their toilet three times will use between 300 and 400 litres of water, depending on the efficiency of their appliances and the flow rate, the report said.
And if expats use more than 200 kilowatt-hours of electricity a day, they will be charged at Dh0.381 each 1kWh, as opposed to Dh0.21 – this year’s rate – for those who use less, it added.
Flat-dwellers will pay the same rates but with a quota of 20kWh, said the Abu Dhabi-based news portal.
The change for next year was not as dramatic as 2015 when the tariff scheme was introduced and expatriates found themselves paying up to three times as much, and nationals began paying for utilities for the first time, the report pointed out.
Meanwhile, there will reportedly be no change for Emiratis next year regarding water tariffs from the Dh1.70 to Dh1.89 for each 1,000 litres of water, depending on their daily use and whether they live in a flat or villa.
They will continue to pay between 5 fils per kWh for 400kWh of power a day, and 5.5 fils for greater use, The National reported.
Government buildings will pay Dh10.55 for 1,000 litres, a rise from Dh9.9 the previous year. And their power will only cost slightly more – Dh29.7 for each kWh, up from Dh29.3, it added.