Editor’s Note
Santander’s water and sewerage rates will rise by 2.7% in 2026, aligning with the national CPI. Other municipal taxes and public prices remain frozen, with current benefits unchanged.
The Santander City Council has approved in its Governing Board the update of water and sewerage rates for the 2026 fiscal year, in line with the variation of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) set by the central government, currently at 2.7%. This measure will not affect other taxes or municipal public prices, which will remain frozen, while also maintaining current tax benefits.
The rate revision responds to the contract signed in 2006 between the City Council and the concession company Aqualia, which establishes a direct link with the CPI for water supply and sanitation services. However, this agreement already excludes the new waste collection fee, which from June 2026 will be managed through an independent bill, with a specific registry to distinguish between residential and non-residential uses.
According to municipal estimates, the monthly impact of this increase will be moderate: in the domestic sphere, a home with two occupants will pay 31 cents more per month, while in households of three or four people the increase will be around 24 cents. For businesses, an increase of 47 cents for a bar and up to 4.72 euros for a larger cafeteria is estimated. Despite the adjustment, the City Council states that the rates will remain below the state average.
Mayor Gema Igual presented the proposal accompanied by the Councilor for Economy and European Funds, Javier García, as a preliminary step to the 2026 budget debate. The ordinance project also includes the planning of the new municipal revenue scheme, where the waste fee will play a prominent role.
Currently, 58% of the City Council’s revenue comes from 25 of its own tax figures (five taxes, ten fees, and ten public prices), with estimated revenue close to 118 million euros. Of this total, the Property Tax (IBI) represents 45% and remains at the legal minimum of 0.4%, while the capital gains tax is the second source of income. According to OCU data, Santander ranks as the second most competitive provincial capital in this figure, only behind Bilbao.
The freezing of taxes and the maintenance of benefits will imply a revenue loss of close to 12 million euros, of which 9.4 million derive from the effect of the benefits and 2.6 million from the unapplied increase.
The benefit scheme includes reductions of 95% for the unemployed, large families, and single-parent families, as well as for incomes below 1.5 times the IPREM (Public Indicator of Multiple Effects Income). For incomes between 1.5 and 2.5 times the IPREM, the reduction will be 50%.
The processing schedule foresees that the proposal will go through the Economy Commission on October 2, for its initial approval in an extraordinary plenary session on the 6th. Subsequently, a 30-day public exhibition period will open, with the intention of approving the final version before the end of the year, to take effect on January 1, 2026.
Regarding the new waste fee, the charge will be made directly by the City Council in three installments (June, August, and October), through bills issued by the City Council itself, thus replacing Aqualia. Before the first charge, each household will receive a simulation with registry data, to allow for reviews and corrections.
Likewise, an information campaign will be developed in civic centers and through municipal media to resolve doubts, explain the tax changes, and facilitate the transition to the new system.
With these measures, the Santander City Council aims to modernize its tax management, improve transparency, and ensure a fair distribution of public service costs.
