The Egyptian government is expected to raise water bills fee in houses and commercial areas as of January 2017 “in an effort to decrease subsidy on drinking water,” Mohy El Seir, spokesman for the Holding Company for Water and Wastewater, told Invest-Gate.

This latest tariff marks the second increase in the past two years, following the government’s announcement on lifting the subsidy on water and electricity, among other commodities, which may create more pressure on the low- and middle classes.