Could Luxembourg residents receive a certain volume of tap water free of charge? This question was posed to Minister for Home Affairs Léon Gloden during a session in the Chamber of Deputies on Tuesday. MP Nathalie Morgenthaler of the Christian Social People’s Party (CSV) enquired whether such a measure would be legally feasible for municipalities in the Grand Duchy.
The issue hinges on Luxembourg’s 2008 Water Law, particularly Article 12, which stipulates that “the costs of services linked to the use of water, including costs for the environment and resources, are borne by the user, in accordance with the user-pays and polluter-pays principles.”
Minister Gloden reiterated this point during the session, emphasising that local autonomy, while a “sacrosanct principle enshrined in the Constitution,” is subject to limits defined by law. In the case of water, the 2008 legislation explicitly requires adherence to the “user pays,” “polluter pays,” and “true price” principles. As a result, Gloden stated, “it is not legal” for local authorities to provide a free volume of water to residents.
The minister also noted that his ministry is unaware of any municipality currently offering free water to its citizens. However, he highlighted that local authorities can support low-income households through social measures, such as cost-of-living allowances. For example, some municipalities have introduced a “diaper bonus,” a subsidy designed to offset the additional waste disposal costs associated with using sanitary nappies.
