Water Bills Set to Rise By up to 84% Under New Ofwat Plans Affecting Customers
- Water regulator Ofwat proposed a bill increase of £94 over five years earlier this year.
- New plans suggest the hike could be significantly higher for some water companies.
- Southern Water could see the steepest rise of 85%, while Thames Water requests a 53% increase.
- Official decision on the rise is expected by December 19, 2024.
Water bills are set to increase more sharply than originally proposed, with some customers potentially facing hikes of up to 84% under new plans. Earlier this year, Ofwat, the water regulator, proposed an average rise of £94 over five years—around £19 per year—to help cover investment and rising costs. However, it is now understood the increases may be much higher for certain companies, with Southern Water aiming for an 85% hike and Thames Water requesting a 53% rise.
The regulator is expected to confirm the final decision by December 19, 2024, with many households facing steeper bills. Some companies, such as Wessex Water, are not seeking further increases beyond initial requests. Water firms have faced public scrutiny over rising bills and issues like sewage dumping, prompting calls for industry reform. Labour is set to announce a new independent commission to address water industry performance and future investment.
We are told that the Water Companies are to be forced into giving us money back for all the bad water discharges and leaks they are not dealing with so how can they be putting the prices up by 85%?
I won't be able to afford to live anymore, what with all the other unnecessary continual increases !!
This is awful. All the pollution they have been found dumping. Really can't see how they can justify this.
TheaFrancis I think they can justify it annoyingly as the infrastructure needed major investment even before such companies were privatised and then we added huge immigration to an already crumbling infrastructure. The government sold these companies and they were purchased as businesses that would provide share dividends to the investors who bought the shares. There is now that need to provide investors with the return on their investment as well as improve infrastructure and provide a good service. The government already allows them to release some waste into rivers which I guess was a necessity based on not having the resources to fully process all waste.
You have to remember England now has a higher population density than Japan and such a population density puts extra pressure on infrastructure like sewage management, road surfaces etc. It's something that hasn't really been discussed because its not PC to mention the huge problems caused by mass immigration and having such a high population density.
As global warming takes greater effect there will be even more refugees in the world looking to go elsewhere as crop yields collapse and more land is taken by rising sea levels.
We just need to get back to realistic politics and adapt to our new population density and stop taking any more people. Countries like Australia, Canada, China, Russia have huge capacity to take more people but here in England we need to actually reduce our population.
A lot of what's going on with the influx of so many people. Our outdated systems cannot cope with extra demands for water and sewage. If ever there was a time to halt all our problems is now before we drown in everybody else's S---. Always the same, the powers that be live their lives in subsidies. While we pay. I feel an insurrection coming on and it won't be pretty.
When you cannot afford to live, you will accept any offer the government makes... the slow walk into complete slavery of the masses is almost at its final destination.