The Hungarian competition authority, known as GVH, has initiated an investigation into Érd és Térsége Regionális Víziközmű Kft. (ÉTV), a water utility company serving eight municipalities in Pest County. The investigation focuses on allegations that ÉTV has set unreasonably high prices for services associated with the technical acceptance and sealing of secondary water meters.

ÉTV, established in 1993, provides drinking water services in Érd and operates water supply and sewage systems in several nearby towns. The company is owned by seven municipal governments and has professional investors, including Veolia Víz Zrt. and Fővárosi Csatornázási Művek Zrt.

The GVH suspects that ÉTV's pricing practices may have caused additional costs for consumers in the affected areas, particularly during the installation of new secondary water meters and their mandatory regular replacements. This behavior could indicate an abuse of economic dominance, impacting all customers with piped secondary water meters in the service area.

It is important to note that the initiation of this investigation does not imply that ÉTV has committed a legal violation. The purpose of the investigation is to clarify the facts and substantiate the alleged infringement. The GVH has a six-month period to conduct the investigation, which can be extended twice for up to six months each if justified.

The GVH has previously conducted investigations against several water utility companies, including ÉTV, and has found similar violations in the past. In a 2012 case, the authority determined that ÉTV had charged excessively high fees for sealing secondary water meters when they were installed or replaced by other companies, thus abusing its dominant market position.