Getting water connected or into your name (contrato de agua)

Terms used

• DNI — The DNI is the national identity card of Spanish citizens.
• Ayuntamiento — The ayuntamiento is your town hall, which chooses and oversees the local water supplier.
• Comunidad de propietarios — The comunidad de propietarios is the owners' association of a building, which runs shared services and costs.
• Póliza — The póliza is the contract or meter number of a water supply.
• Cambio de titular — The cambio de titular is a change of holder: an existing contract and connection move into a new person's name.
• Alta nueva — The alta nueva is a new contract for a home with no active water contract or connection.
• Fianza — The fianza is a refundable deposit the supplier may ask for when you open a contract.
• NIE — The NIE is the identification number Spain gives to foreigners.

Key rules

• Supplier: Your water supplier is set by your town, so find it from a bill, the meter cover, your landlord or the town hall.
• Documents: Each supplier sets its own list, so ask for it before you apply.
• Deposit: A refundable deposit is common for new contracts and often not charged for a simple change of holder.
• Payment: Check which payment methods the supplier accepts before you sign if you have no Spanish bank account.

Start by finding your supplier

Water is run by each town, so there is no single national company. The supplier is whoever your town hall (ayuntamiento) has chosen: a municipal company, a private company with a local concession, or the council itself.

The quickest way to find it:

• Look at a previous water bill or at the meter cover. The company name is often printed there.
• Ask the landlord, the property manager or the community of owners (comunidad de propietarios). They usually know the supplier and the contract number (póliza).
• Check the "agua" or "servicios municipales" page on your town hall's website, or phone the town hall.
• Try the supplier's website, which often has a search by municipality or postcode.

In a block with one shared meter, the contract may be in the community's name. Ask the administrator before you apply for anything. In rural areas the service may be run by the council or a neighbourhood water association.

Change of holder or new contract

Which one you need depends on the home. The decision below helps you choose.

• Change of holder (cambio de titular): the home is already connected. The contract moves to your name, the meter stays, and there is a final reading. The supply is normally not cut. It needs less paperwork and usually no new-connection charges. Some suppliers also want the outgoing holder's consent or proof that there are no unpaid bills.
• New contract (alta nueva): the home has no active contract or no connection, for example a new build or a supply that was cancelled. It may need a technician visit, works and fees.

The person with the right to use the home, an owner or a tenant with a lease, can ask for either. Someone else can apply for you with your written authorisation and copies of your ID.

What you need

Each supplier sets its own list, so ask for it before you apply. Usually you need:

• Your ID: a DNI, or an NIE or passport if you are a foreigner.
• Proof you can occupy the home: the title deed (escritura), your signed lease or the owner's authorisation.
• The full address, and sometimes the cadastral reference (referencia catastral).
• A Spanish IBAN for direct debit, and your contact details.
• For a new build, or in regions that require it, the cédula de habitabilidad or first-occupation licence.
• For a change of holder, the previous contract or meter number.

Companies and communities also need a CIF and proof of the representative's powers.

Whether your particular supplier or landlord will accept your exact documents is something only they can confirm. Ask before you go to the office or pay anything.

Deposit and fees

A deposit (fianza) is common but not universal. It is usually tied to a new connection or a contract in a new name. It is based on the meter size and expected use. For an ordinary home it is typically tens of euros, often under 100 euros, and you get it back when the contract ends.

Many suppliers charge no deposit for a simple change of holder. A new supply may carry a contracting or connection fee on top. Ask for the exact amounts before you sign.

How long it takes

• Change of holder at a connected home: often registered in 1 to 5 working days.
• New contract where a connection and meter already exist: from a few days to about one to two weeks, including a technician visit.
• Brand-new connection (acometida): several weeks, because it needs works, a licence and connection fees.

Regional rules set maximum times for suppliers, and they differ by region. Ask the supplier for its timeline when you apply.

If you have no Spanish bank account

Many suppliers expect direct debit from a Spanish account. Alternatives exist but vary: paying the bill at a partner bank or collection agent using the barcode, paying by card in the online customer area or at the office, bank transfer, or in some places a eurozone IBAN. Some small suppliers insist on a Spanish IBAN or on payment at the town hall's collection office. Ask which methods are accepted before you sign. Opening a Spanish account with your NIE solves the problem.

The steps, document list, checklist and a guide to finding your provider are in the blocks below.

Choosing between options

Should you ask for a change of holder or a new contract?

• Change of holder (cambio de titular): The home already has an active contract and meter, for example you are a new tenant or buyer. It needs less paperwork and no new-connection charges. Some providers want the outgoing holder's consent.

If the home has an active contract and meter, ask for a change of holder. If not, ask for a new contract. If you have no Spanish bank account, ask the supplier whether you can pay at a bank branch, by card, by transfer or from another eurozone IBAN, or open a Spanish account with your NIE.

Procedures and payment options vary by supplier, so confirm with yours.

Opening a water contract step by step

• Find your water provider from a previous bill, the meter cover, your landlord or the town hall: before you start

• Check whether the home already has an active contract or meter: if so you are changing holder, if not it is a new connection: before you apply

• Gather your ID or NIE, your lease or title deed, any habitability certificate the provider asks for, and your bank IBAN: before you apply

• Apply online, by phone or in person; small town services often take requests only at the town hall or water office, and many offices need an appointment: once your documents are ready

• Pay any fee or deposit the provider asks for: when you apply

• Wait for the provider to review your file: a few days

• Let the technician visit to open the supply or read the meter, if needed: after approval

• Change of holder at a connected home: the supply is normally not cut and the change is registered: usually 1 to 5 working days

• New contract at a home with an existing meter: the water is switched on: a few days to 1 or 2 weeks

• Brand-new connection (acometida): works, a licence and connection fees are needed first: several weeks

• Receive your first bill, usually paid by direct debit; it can be based on an estimate and adjusted later: 1 to 3 months after the contract starts

Documents you need

• Your ID: a DNI, or a NIE or passport if you are a foreigner.

• Proof you can occupy the home: the title deed (escritura), your signed lease if you rent, or the owner's written authorisation.

• The full address of the home, plus the cadastral reference (referencia catastral) if the provider asks for it.

• A Spanish IBAN for direct debit, and your contact details.

• The cédula de habitabilidad or first-occupation licence (licencia de primera ocupación), for a new build or where your region requires it.

• The previous contract or meter number (póliza), for a change of holder.

• A company tax number (CIF) and proof of the representative's powers, if the holder is a company or a community of owners.

Checklist

• Find your supplier on a previous water bill or the meter cover, or ask the landlord, the community of owners or the town hall.

• Ask the supplier for its exact list of documents before you apply.

• Ask whether a deposit (fianza) applies. It is often under 100 euros and refundable, and many providers charge none for a simple change of holder.

• Ask whether the supplier charges a contracting or connection fee for a new supply.

• Ask how long activation takes. A change of holder is often registered in 1 to 5 working days, and a new contract at a connected home usually takes a few days to two weeks.

Find your local water provider and tariff

• Your previous water bill or meter cover: Read the company name and contract number (póliza); your landlord, property manager or community of owners usually knows them too

• Your town hall (ayuntamiento): Find the water supplier on the 'agua' or 'servicios municipales' page, or phone to ask which company or council service runs your water

• Your water provider's website: Search by municipality or postcode for your local office and contact details, and look under 'tarifas' for the current prices

• Your town hall's website: Find the water tariff in the tax ordinance (ordenanza fiscal) under 'ordenanzas fiscales' or 'tasas y precios públicos'; it is also published in the provincial official gazette

Quick answers on water in a Spanish home

Does the community fee include my water?

Water is in your community fee (gastos de comunidad) only when the building has one shared meter and the community pays the bill. If each flat has its own meter, water is billed to you directly. Check your lease and the community fee statement, and look for a meter inside the flat.

Can I install a water filter in a rented flat?

Yes, you can use a jug filter or a tap filter without asking, because nothing is changed and you can remove it. An under-sink or plumbed-in system needs the landlord's written consent, since it involves works on the installation. Your lease may be stricter.

How much notice must I get before a planned water cut?

Providers usually must warn you at least 24 to 48 hours before a planned cut, through notices in the building, local media, SMS or social media. The exact notice depends on your town and region. Emergency cuts, such as a burst pipe, come with no warning.

Why does my tap water smell of chlorine?

Tap water smells of chlorine because it is disinfected to keep it safe, and the smell is stronger after repairs, in summer or near treatment plants. Leave a jug open in the fridge for a few hours, or use a carbon filter. Report a persistent strong smell to your provider or town hall.