Nizhny Novgorod residents win fight against unfair water billing practices
Residents in Nizhny Novgorod’s Avtozavodsky District have won a legal battle over unfair water billing practices. The local Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) ruled that Nizhny Novgorod Vodokanal broke competition law by refusing to accept individual meter readings for cold water charges. The dispute centred on claims that the utility company demanded collective meters before allowing residents to pay based on their own measurements.
The case began after multiple complaints from residents who accused Nizhny Novgorod Vodokanal of unjustified refusals. They argued that the company ignored their individual water meter readings when calculating bills. Instead, the utility insisted that only buildings with a collective meter could use individual readings for billing.
An investigation by the Nizhny Novgorod regional FAS office confirmed the violations. The antitrust watchdog opened a case under Part 1, Article 10 of the Federal Law *On the Protection of Competition*. Vladimir Chugai, the director of Nizhny Novgorod Vodokanal, was named in the proceedings. The FAS commission ordered the company to correct the breach by January 20, 2010. Residents involved in the complaints must now be allowed to pay for cold water based on their individual meter readings. A decision on further administrative action against the utility is expected soon.
The ruling forces Nizhny Novgorod Vodokanal to change its billing policy for affected residents. Those who filed complaints will now see their water charges calculated according to their individual meter readings. The case also sets a precedent for how similar disputes may be handled in the region.
