Millions of households to be hit with water bill rises of up to £19-a-year – key ways to save
MILLIONS of households could face forking out £19 more a year on their water bills, the water regulator confirmed today.
Water bills in England and Wales are expected to increase by an average of £19 a year between 2025 and 2030, regulator Ofwat said.
This means bills will rise by a total of £94 over the next five years.
The regulator said this rise is a third less than the increase requested by water companies, which had proposed an average increase of £144 over the next five years.
The hikes come as part of Ofwat's 2024 Price Review (PR24) which covers the period from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2030.
It sets limits on what companies can charge their customers for water to cover the cost of repairs to the network.
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It comes as water companies face criticism over record levels of sewage discharged into rivers and seas despite huge profits.
Today's proposals are a draft version, with the final plans expected to be confirmed in December.
Ofwat's chief executive David Black said: "Customers want to see radical change in the way water companies care for the environment.
"Our draft decisions on company plans approve a tripling of investment to make sustained improvement to customer service and the environment at a fair price for customers.
"These proposals aim to deliver a 44% reduction in spills from storm overflows compared to levels in 2021.
"We expect all companies to embrace innovation and go further and faster to reduce spills wherever possible."
The proposed increases are an average across all providers, but the figures differ slightly between different providers.
Severn Trent had proposed to raise its water bills by £144 by 2030 but Ofwat has proposed a cut to £93.
Meanwhile, Southern Water customers will face a £183 increase over five years, while Dwr Cymru customers’ bills will go up by £137 and Yorkshire Water customers will pay £107 more.
Affinity customers will see just an £11 rise, while SES customers' bills will fall by £34 compared with the previous five years.
What water bill support is available?
IT'S always worth checking if you qualify for a discount or extra support to help pay your water bill.
Over two million households who qualify to be on discounted social water tariffs aren't claiming the savings provided, according to the Consumer Council for Water (CCW).
Only 1.3million households are currently issued with a social water tariff - up 19% from the previous year.
And the average household qualifying for the discounted water rates can slash their bills by £160 a year.
Every water company has a social tariff scheme which can help reduce your bills if you're on a low income and the CCW is calling on customers to take advantage before bills rise in April.
Who's eligible for help and the level of support offered varies depending on your water company.
Most suppliers also have a pot of money to dish out to thousands of customers who are under pressure from rising costs - and you don't have to pay it back.
These grants can be worth hundreds of pounds offering a vital lifeline when faced with daunting water bills.
The exact amount you can get depends on where you live and your supplier, as well as your individual circumstances.
Many billpayers across the country could also get help paying off water debts through a little-known scheme and even get the balance written off.
Companies match the payments eligible customers make against the debt on their account to help clear it sooner.
If you're on a water meter but find it hard to save water as you have a large family or water-dependent medical condition, you may be able to cap your bills through the WaterSure scheme.
Bills are capped at the average amount for your supplier, so the amount you could save will vary.
The Consumer Council for Water estimates that bills are reduced by £307 on average through the scheme.
Thames Water had proposed a hefty increase of £191 by 2030, but this was reduced to £99 by Ofwat.
This is what Ofwat is proposing each water firm charges per year, on average, to customers by 2030, and how much more they would be compared to now:
- Anglian Water - 2029/30 £557 (up £66)
- Dwr Cymru - 2029/30 £603 (up £137)
- Hafren Dyfrdwy - 2029/30 £524 (up £128)
- Northumbrian Water - 2029/30 £460 (up £45)
- Severn Trent Water - 2029/30 £496 (up £93)
- Southern Water - 2029/30 £603 (up £183)
- South West Water - 2029/30 £561 (up £64)
- Thames Water - 2029/30 £535 (up £99)
- United Utilities - 2029/30 £536 (up £94)
- Wessex Water - 2029/30 £497 (down £12)
- Yorkshire Water - 2029/30 £537 (up £107)
- Affinity Water - 2029/30 £203 (up £11)
- Portsmouth Water - 2029/30 £135 (up £21)
- South East Water - 2029/30 £183 (up £22)
- SES Water - 2029/30 £187 (down £34)
Ofwat also said today it will impose a "turnaround oversight regime" on beleaguered Thames Water.
The firm, which services 16million customers across London and the Thames Valley, will be asked to publish a "delivery action plan" outlining how it intends to improve its performance on sewage spills and leakage.
There are plenty of water-saving methods which can be put in place at home, with minimal effort. Here are a few.
Move from a traditional flush to a dual-flash toilet - £109
Toilets alone make up approximately 22% of a typical home's water usage.
Dual flush toilets have gained popularity as an eco-friendly solution for households.
In fact, many modern toilet systems come with a dual flush option for water conservation, but many users don't know how much of a difference they can make to water usage in the home.
The large flush can use 6 to 9 litres at a time, whereas the small flush uses less water, coming in at 3 to 4 litres.
A dual flush toilet uses two buttons to flush liquid and solid waste, reducing water use.
By switching from a traditional flush toilet to a dual-flush toilet, you could save £109 per year, according to Kingfisher, which owns B&Q and Screwfix.
However, it's important to check whether your dual flush system isn't leaking water into the bowl - if so it could end up costing you more.
Move from a higher flow to a low-flow showerhead - £94
Low-flow shower heads can decrease water consumption by 40% or more, reducing your monthly water bill.
Showers take energy to heat water, too, so both your water usage and energy usage will decrease.
According to the Energy Saving Trust, replacing your shower head with a water efficient one could save a four-person household as much as £38 a year on gas for water heating, as well as a further £53 a year on their water bills.
In total, you're likely to save an estimated £94 per year from switching from a higher flow to a low-flow showerhead.
Simply swap your higher flow showerhead fitting, for a low-flow showerhead.
You can also purchase low-flow taps and even toilets.
Reduce showers from eight minutes to five - £61
Almost half of Brits say they shower for longer than six minutes per day, with one in five - or 22% - showering longer than ten minutes.
Nearly half - 49% - admit that they sometimes, often or always shower longer than needed.
But by cutting your shower time from eight to five minutes, you could save up to £61 per year.
Don't leave the tap running whilst brushing your teeth - £37
You can even cut your water bills when you're brushing your teeth.
One in three Brits - or 34% - have admitted that they currently do this sometimes or very often.
If you brush your teeth for 2 minutes and let the tap run you could use over 12 litres of water.
Only using the tap to clean your brush and the sink means you could save around £37 a year.
Energy Saving Trust also recommends you only use cold water to stop your boiler from unnecessarily firing up for a few minutes.
Fix your leaking toilet - £236
It's estimated that 5% of UK homes currently have a leaky toilet, which can waste a staggering 200-400 litres of water each day.
Simply fixing your leaky toilet could save you around £236 per year.
Andrew Tucker, water demand reduction manager at Thames Water previously told The Sun: “Typically all that involves is replacing the inside valves or washers, which you can get at any DIY store."
Should I get a water meter?
It might be worth swapping to a water meter if your water usage is reasonably low.
Water meters measure the exact amount of water you use, rather than relying on estimates based on rateable values, which is a calculation based on your property and cannot be changed.
You can find out what your home's rateable value is here.
If it's high, and you live by yourself, it may be worth considering swapping to a water meter.
The general rule is that if you have at least the same number of people in your home as bedrooms, you'll save money.
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Most homes can have a meter installed free of charge.
The Consumer Council for Water website has a which can tell you whether it is worth asking for a meter.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.