Brits face water bills soaring by 36% - and some by more than HALF - as regulator gives the green light to firms hiking costs
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Water bosses were today given the green light for huge bill hikes averaging 36 per cent over the next five years. An eye-watering round of increases has been announced by regulator Ofwat, despite fury at the performance of operators. Southern Water is thought to be getting the biggest rise with bills going up 53 per cent over the period - and inflation projected to add another 10 per cent.
![[The proposed bill rises would begin to take effect from April next year but the move comes at a time of public outrage. Protesters (pictured) hold 'Boycott Thames Water' placards opposed to the bailout during the demonstration]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/19/00/93291845-14207463-The_proposed_bill_rises_would_begin_to_take_effect_from_April_ne-a-28_1734567657530.jpg)
Severn Trent customers must brace for 47 per cent rises, two Welsh firms 42 per cent and Yorkshire Water 41 per cent. The bill rises for England and Wales - averaging £31 a year - would begin to take effect from April next year. Thames Water, which has been paying bonuses to executives despite being in the grip of a funding crisis, has been allowed a 35 per cent increase.
![[Between 2021 and 2023 alone water companies paid £2.5billion in dividends and added £8.2 billion to their net debt. Pictured: An overflow pipe releases water into the River Thames]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/19/00/92992137-14207463-Between_2021_and_2023_alone_water_companies_paid_2_5billion_in_d-a-32_1734567657542.jpg)
The move comes at a time of public outrage over pollution in rivers, huge salaries paid to water company bosses and massive dividends taken by shareholders. Just this week the Office for Environmental Protection ruled that water companies should have had no excuse to tip sewage as the law has been clear that it is illegal since at least 1994 - but the Department for Environment, the Environment Agency and Ofwat failed to enforce the law.
Between 2021 and 2023 alone water companies paid £2.5billion in dividends and added £8.2billion to their net debt. The water firms provide supplies to England and Wales. The proposed bill rises would begin to take effect from April next year but the move comes at a time of public outrage. Protesters (pictured) hold 'Boycott Thames Water' placards opposed to the bailout during the demonstration.
