In December 2024, residents of Irpin community received a new water tariff of 56.88 UAH/m³ instead of the previous 32.1 UAH. This resulted from a public tender: the city mayor Oleksandr Markushyn's initial proposal was 67.6 UAH, but the working group led by first deputy mayor Andrii Kravchuk did not support it and reduced the figure. The tariff has been in effect for less than a year — and the enterprise has already submitted justification for the next review, this time starting from 2026.

What changed in expenses

Municipal Enterprise "Irpin Water" published an official notice on the Irpin City Council website about its intention to change tariffs. Among the reasons are specific figures: the electricity tariff increased by 58.75% (from 8.47 to over 13 UAH), gasoline prices rose by 25%, diesel fuel by 31.5%, liquefied gas by 62.5%. Additionally, the sectoral agreement provides for an increase in the minimum wage rate for a first-grade worker from 200% to 260% as of January 1, 2026.

A separate factor is a structural change in the service area. By decision of the city council No. 4337-56-VIII from September 18, 2025, "Irpin Water" ceased providing services in Vorzel: they were taken over by Municipal Enterprise "Bucha Service". This changed the tariff calculation base — a smaller number of consumers means higher unit cost.

New figures for households and businesses

According to the notice on the city council website, the enterprise proposes the following planned tariffs:

• for households — water supply: 24.35 UAH/m³, water disposal: 32.53 UAH/m³, total: 56.88 UAH/m³ (this is the current level, which may be reviewed upward)
• for business entities in the centralized water supply and sewerage sector — water disposal: 29.69 UAH/m³ (with VAT)

The exact final figures for 2026 depend on the decision of the Irpin City Council, which since July 2024 has been the only body that sets these tariffs — after the enterprise ceased to be regulated by the NKREKP.

A repeating precedent

In autumn 2024, a petition against the increase gathered enough signatures to initiate a review. At that time, deputies did not approve the enterprise's report and demanded details on debts. Ultimately, the tariff was reduced from the proposed 67.6 to 56.88 UAH — but not because the expenses were inflated, but due to public pressure and the work of a deputy group.

"The Irpin mayor's attempts to increase the water tariff to 67.6 UAH were unjustified and in no way corresponded to the interests of residents"

Head of the Investment Council of Irpin Volodymyr Karplyuk, October 2024

Now the enterprise refers to objective expenses — and some of them are indeed confirmed: the increase in electricity tariff is a fact for the entire country, the sectoral agreement on rate increases is a public document. However, a mechanism for independent verification of calculations has not appeared: the community again received an announcement, not an audit.

If the Irpin City Council deputies this time approve the tariff without independent verification of the expense structure — the annual ritual of "we propose 67, they approve 56" risks becoming the norm rather than an exception.