Thames Water has revealed that Londoners’ water bills will be increased by £14.55 a month to help fix leaks and cut sewage discharges.
The new £19-billion spending plan from the water company and the knock-on price increase follow the public outrage at the amount of raw sewage flowing into rivers and the sea, and the extent of losses from the mains supply.
The proposal, however, will still have to be approved by regulator Ofwat before it starts impacting customers.
Moreover, Thames Water isn’t the only water company that is considering price hikes.
Here is a comprehensive look at the average water bill a Brit is paying in 2023, why suppliers are thinking of increasing the charges, and how much of an increase customers can expect.
How much is the average water bill in the UK in 2023?
The average water bill that a household has to pay in the UK depends on two factors: their water provider and region.
According to a Statista study, the average household bill in England and Wales in 2023 is the highest for Wessex Water customers, who are estimated to pay £261 a year.
The lowest average household bill in England and Wales is paid by Portsmouth customers, who are estimated to pay an average of £117 per annum.
Which water suppliers are increasing bills and what is their reasoning?
Thames Water has already confirmed that they would like to increase their bills by £14.55 a month to cover their new spending plans.
However, they are not the only water company to propose a bill rise in the coming months and years.
Southern Water, which provides water to 2.5 million Brits based in south-east England, wants to increase their bills from £412 a year to £674 by 2030. They want to use the extra money to upgrade their four largest water-supply works, cut leaks, replace mains, roll out smart meters, and deal with sewage.
Similarly, Severn Trent, which serves 4.6 million households and businesses, aims to increase their bill from £379 to £553 a year. They want to use the additional funds to improve their new water pipeline from the Lake District to Lancashire and Greater Manchester, reduce storm overflows, cut bills for vulnerable households, and battle internal sewer flooding.
South West Water hopes to raise its bills from £504 to £620 a year for its 3.5 million customers, which will go towards increasing wastewater treatment, bettering the connections between reservoirs, and battling sewage discharges.
While Yorkshire Water customers can expect their annual bill to go from £442 to £533 a year, which the company hopes will be enough to refurbish and replace mains, invest in smart meters, increase its environmental efforts, and tackle sewer issues.
Wessex Water is planning to up its annual bill from £517 to £667 to address nutrient pollution in waterways, improve storm-overflow infrastructure, and handle pollution.
To reduce spills, create two new reservoirs, and invest in sustainable urban-drainage schemes, Anglian Water is also planning to introduce a price hike which would increase the current annual bill of £496 to £573.
These plans to raise bills, alongside any others that are proposed in the coming months, will be subject to Ofwat’s approval.
