MILLIONS of households are gearing up for a steep rise in water bills, with costs set to surge by up to 47% from April, according to industry body Water UK. The average annual water and wastewater bill will rise by £123, taking it from £480 to £603 - a leap of around £10 per month.
But for some, the increases will be far steeper. Southern Water customers face the sharpest rise, with bills surging by a staggering £224 (47%), pushing the average yearly cost to £703. Not far behind, Hafren Dyfrdwy bills will jump by 32%, from £447 a year to £590.
South West Water bills will also rise from £520 a year to £686. Plus, Thames Water households will shoulder a 31% increase, while Yorkshire Water plans a 29% rise. However, households supplied by SES Water will actually see their annual bills fall by £5 (-2%) from £254 a year to £249.
The exact amount your bill will change by will depend on factors such as whether you have a water meter and how much water you use. The increases are higher than those outlined by regulator Ofwat in its recent five-year price limits just before Christmas, as they now include inflation.
Water UK has justified the rise by citing an ambitious £104billion investment programme spanning the next seven years. From April 2025 to March 2026 alone, water companies are set to spend a record £20billion. This funding will go towards building nine new reservoirs, upgrading 1,700 wastewater treatment plants to curb pollution, and improving over 15,000 kilometres of rivers.
