fallen for higher volumes (+ 250 Cu meter/year). The price is now the same. Flemish region. Everyone has the right to a minimal supply of 15 cubic meters (41 liter/capita/day) of free water per person per year. Concerning sanitation, those living under the Minimum Subsistence Level are exempt from the sanitation tax. Walloon region. For water, there is an increasing-block tariff with four blocks of consumption. The first block is up to 30 cubic meter per household per year (82 liter/household/day). Brussels region. The increasing-block tariff has also four blocks, the highest beginning at 60 cubic meter per person per year. The first cubic meter costs 3.8 times less than the highest one. A Social Fund for Water has also been set up, financed by a tax of 0.01 Euro/cubic meter. Financing Walloon region. The Walloon region has established a public company dedicated to the financing and operation of sanitation infrastructure and watershed protection. The Société Publique de Gestion de l'Eau (SPGE), created in 1999, operates under five-year performance contracts with the government. Tariffs are being monitored by an independent entity (Comité de Contrôle) and results are independently monitored by a Collège d'Evaluation. Its two core functions are carried out in two different ways: For the financing of sanitation infrastructure, it signs a contract with utilities that obliges them to carry out the investment and operate the infrastructure. SPGE perceives sewer tariff revenues to recoup its investment and to finance the operation of the sanitation infrastructure. For watershed protection, it signs a contract with utilities under which they pay SPGE for its services. SPGE finances its investments from its capital, through long-term loans from the European Investment Bank (EIB) and other sources, as well as through short-term borrowing. More than 80% of SPGE is owned by public entities - almost 40% by the Walloon regional government, 24% by Aquawal and 20% by SWE - and less than 20% is owned by private companies, including about 10% by Dexia and 5% by Auxipar. Flanders region. In Flanders, the public company Aquafin is a major financier of sanitation and also benefits from long-term lending provided by the EIB. References External links Portail Eau de la Wallonie de la Direction générale des Ressources naturelles et de l'Environnement Intercommunale bruxelloise de distribution d'eau Société wallonne des eaux Vlaamse Maatschappij voor Watervoorziening