SANTO DOMINGO – The Association of Industries of the Dominican Republic (AIRD) has issued a formal demand for the immediate suspension of a drastic water and sewerage tariff adjustment implemented by the Santo Domingo Water and Sewerage Corporation (CAASD). The industrial group has condemned the measure as both disproportionate and unjustified, citing staggering increases of up to 400% imposed on the industrial sector without prior consultation.
In an official statement, the AIRD voiced profound concern regarding the detrimental economic impact of the escalated fees. The association is urgently appealing to authorities to undertake a comprehensive review of the decision, insisting that any such policy must adhere to fundamental principles of legality, transparency, and inclusive public dialogue with all affected productive sectors. The organization leveled strong criticism at the CAASD for its failure to engage in preliminary discussions and for proceeding in the absence of published technical studies to rationally justify the substantial hike.
Mario Pujols, Executive Vice President of the AIRD, articulated the association’s readiness to collaborate with officials in developing equitable and balanced solutions. However, he emphasized that any modifications to utility tariffs must be predictable, implemented gradually, and firmly grounded in sound legal and technical analysis. Pujols highlighted a critical operational concern: the abrupt enforcement of the new rates, devoid of any transitional period, severely disrupts the financial planning and budgetary frameworks of companies. This timing is particularly problematic as numerous businesses had already finalized and approved their financial budgets for the upcoming year, 2026.
Furthermore, Pujols raised a significant alarm over the creation of a substantial pricing disparity between domestic industries and companies operating within free trade zones. He argued that this discrepancy severely undermines the competitiveness of local manufacturers and establishes a regime of discriminatory treatment. Concluding his remarks, the executive called for enhanced transparency and the application of consistent, fair criteria in water and sewerage tariff policies across the nation, warning that the ultimate burden of such measures is inevitably passed on to industrial costs and, consequently, consumer prices.
