The CAASD, the government corporation that administers the drinking water for Santo Domingo, charges less for its services than various other countries. The CAASD (Corporaci?n de Agua y Alcantarillada de Santo Domingo) in those places where new water meters have been installed is charging 50 percent less than similar service providers in Mexico or Barcelona, Spain, according to the department. The CAASD charges RD$4 per cubic meter of water, while in M?xico City the cost is MX$5.00, equivalent to RD$10.00. On a yearly basis, an average family in Santo Domingo can expect to use a total of 56 cubic meters of water per month for a yearly total of 672 cubic meters, which would cost RD$2,688. In Barcelona, the same consumption would cost RD$4,100. No hikes in the cost of water are expected until the 105,000 new meters are installed.
Just recently, sanitary engineer Julio Santos-Cayado alerted that the government is installing water meters that operate continuously, regardless of whether there is water running through them or just air. The CAASD has not officially addressed this observation.