Sulfur baths suspend operation

The sulfur baths have suspended operation. Personnel from the sulfur baths, located in the old part of Tbilisi, have gone on strike in protest. They have organized a protest rally, demanding from the ‘Georgian Water and Power» Co. (GWP) to write off their debts and decrease the water tariff. According to the protesters, Tbilisi is being deprived of a healthy spring water and that is a crime. As sulfur baths employees told JAMnews, the company GWP imposed high taxes on sulfur baths and their debt eventually accrued.

‘The water flow shall in no way be blocked. If blocked, the consequences will be far more deplorable than those of the Vere Valley flood. The water will wash away not only Meydan, but also all the houses in the vicinity’

GWP released a statement about this, saying the administration of the sulfur baths resorted to destructive measures, since it had been losing a legal fight and it had no other way out.

After measured the water used by the sulfur baths, GWP imposed a wastewater tax, at the rate set by the Georgian National Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission (GNERC). However, the administration of the sulfur baths was unwilling to pay the tax. Though, their position had no base.

Let us remind you, as a licensee of water which is supplied in Tbilisi, ‘Georgian Water and Power’ Ltd added a geothermal wastewater treatment costs to the previous tariff on water used by the baths during its operation.
The company adjusted these service costs and set the maximum tariff determined by GNERC – GEL0.90 per 1 cub. m.

published:24.03.2016