Arcon determines suspension of charges and reactivation of registrations without inspection by Águas do Pará

The Agency for Regulation and Control of Public Services of the State of Pará (Arcon) notified the concessionaire Águas do Pará to immediately suspend charges and reactivations of user registrations carried out without due technical proof. The measure was taken after the agency identified signs of irregularities in the billing of water and sewage services.

According to the regulatory agency, signs were found of automatic and mass reactivation of old and inactive registrations of the Companhia de Saneamento do Pará (Cosanpa), the state-owned company that distributed water throughout the state.

Cases of estimated billing were also identified in properties that had requested service disconnection or that use their own sources of supply, such as artesian wells, according to Arcon.

Additionally, users reported having received notices of sewage fee charges for upcoming invoices without proper proof that the service is available in the region. Arcon determined that the company demonstrates the network's effective offer before making any charge of this type.

The blocking of disputed charges will remain active until the concessionaire carries out a detailed billing review and carries out technical inspections of the properties. Águas do Pará must present to Arcon a report broken down by municipality with the results of these inspections.

The concessionaire was also obliged to carry out an information campaign on its official channels, social networks and on its invoices to guide customers about the changes and regularization procedures.

What should the consumer do?

Arcon advises that residents who identify undue charges or discrepancies in the values and category of the property take the following steps:

Request inspection: Contact Águas do Pará and request a technical inspection of the property to update the registration and correct the values.

Register a complaint: If the problem is not resolved by the dealership, the consumer must contact the Arcon Ombudsman.

Arcon has made the following Ombudsman service channels available:

Telephone: (91) 3198-3977

WhatsApp: (91) 99334-7355

Email: [email protected]

Official website: www.arcon.pa.gov.br

What does Águas do Pará say?

In a note, the concessionaire Águas do Pará informed that it received the notification from Arcon and that it will comply with the regulatory body's determination.

The company declared that "all its conduct is in accordance with current legislation and that it fully complies with the concession contract".

The concessionaire also highlighted that it has already invested around R$800 million since the beginning of its operations in the state, focusing on the quality and regularity of the supply of treated water, and reaffirmed its commitment to the development of basic sanitation in the municipalities served.