The High Court Rules in Favour of Altea, Exempting It from Paying Ten Million to Water Company

The High Court of Justice of the Valencian Community has resolved a long-standing conflict between the Town Hall of Altea and the company Aguas Potables de Bernia (Apobersa), overturning the initial ruling that required the council to pay over ten million euros to the company for the withdrawal of water services in the Altea Hills and Mascarat urbanisations.

This announcement was made by Aurora Serrat, the Councillor for Infrastructure and Water Cycle, who recalled that it all began in 2020 when the municipal council decided to intervene and directly manage the water services in these areas "due to continuous complaints from residents about cuts, lack of potability, and a critically deteriorated network."

The situation, added the councillor, was exacerbated by the fact that "the pipes had severe leaks and the company's investment was non-existent." Therefore, Serrat argued, "the Town Hall, compelled to react to this unsustainable situation, chose to terminate the relationship with Apobersa, a company inheriting the former supply rights of the developer Puerto Deportivo Luis Campomanes, and took over the service."

This municipal decision led to a legal confrontation in which Apobersa, represented by businessman Luis Campomanes, claimed over ten million euros for alleged rights and infrastructure. Initially, the Alicante Administrative Court ruled in favour of the litigant.

Now, the High Court has overturned that ruling, "endorsing the Town Hall's actions and considering that there is no right to compensation, beyond the residual value of some meters amounting to 15,000 euros," Serrat announced.

The local Infrastructure official added that "meanwhile, the council has had to manage severely deteriorated facilities and undertake emergency works worth more than 3.5 million euros to ensure supply. Investments that, paradoxically, have been challenged by APOBERSA itself and some residents of Altea Hills."

According to Serrat, "despite the opposition, the Government team will continue working to restore dignified basic services in privately initiated urbanisations, not only in Altea Hills and Mascarat, but also in other areas of the Sierra."

"The conflict, which has lasted for years, highlights an increasingly common reality: the role of public administrations as guarantors of essential services where private concessionaires fail to meet their responsibilities," concluded Aurora Serrat.