The rise, confirmed by industry body Water UK, will take the average water and wastewater bill from £480 to £603 for the next year. This equates to an increase of around £10 a month, from £40 to £50.
Here, The i Paper looks at how much water bills will go up across the country as households continue to struggle with the cost of living.
Will my water bills increase?
The beleaguered water company serves around 16 million customers in Greater London and southern England. The utility is currently facing £16bn of debt and needs £3.3bn over the next five years to keep running, with money due to run out by late March.
A map of England and Wales shows how much water bills will increase by on 1 AprilHafren Dyfrdwy and South West Water bills will each rise by 32 per cent on 1 April while Yorkshire Water will rise to 29 per cent.
Bristol Water customers face the lowest rise at 4 per cent. The firm only supplies drinking water to its 1.2m customers and no wastewater service.
Following the announcement, utility companies said they would support more than three million households with their bills as part of a £4.1 billion package over the next five years.
Water UK advised customers to contact their water company directly to see what help was available if they were concerned about the hikes.
The plans include how far they can increase bills over the period, plus how much they will spend on upgrading drains, sewers and reservoirs.
Ofwat published its final decision on bill increases in December, with Water UK announcing the increases by company, including inflation, that will take effect from 1 April.
Anglian Water, for example, initially asked for average annual bills to rise to £573 by 2030, a 17 per cent increase. Ofwat reduced that to £557 in a draft ruling in July.
square NEWS Save Britain's RiversThe people facing the water giants in court over refusing to pay their bills
Read More
Similar processes happened at Northumbrian Water, Severn Trent, South West Water, United Utilities and Yorkshire Water.
Water firms face huge costs on improving drains, reservoirs and sewers, meaning they need to spend billions on upgrades. But because they are also privatised, firms also want to turn a profit for shareholders.
Many firms also face huge debt piles. The 10 biggest water companies have about £60 billion of combined debt.
This is the highest level of expenditure in a single year, and the first in a five-year programme of investment worth £104 billion up to 2030.
Thames Water faces around £16bn in debt and needs £3.3bn over the next five years to keep running (Photo: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg)
Water UK chief executive David Henderson said: “We understand increasing bills is never welcome and, while we urgently need investment in our water and sewage infrastructure, we know that for many this increase will be difficult.
What has been the response to the bill increases?
Charles Watson, from River Action, said Ofwat had “failed” and “run up the white flag” by announcing rises in household water bills.
The Consumer Council for Water (CCW) called for stronger and fairer support to protect struggling households.
“These rises are the largest we’ve seen since privatisation and will heap considerable pressure on millions of customers who are already having to make difficult choices,” CCW chief executive Mike Keil said.
Demonstrators hold placards as they protest against Thames Water in London in December (Photo: Mina Kim/Reuters)“Around 2.5 million households are already in debt to their water company and there is a danger that number will grow unless some companies show more ambition around financial support.”
“Communities and customers won’t be fooled by this web of lies. It’s time for broken utilities like Thames Water to be put into Special Administration and refinanced to operate for public benefit not investor return.
“Meanwhile, the Water Commission must end the failed privatisation experiment and reform the broken regulators to ensure a sustainable and resilient water and sewage system for future generations. Rivers do not need economic growth, they enable it.”
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Mapped: Where water bills will rise the most in 2025 )
Also on site :