Water bills will rise by 35pc in biggest hike ever to fix sewage crisis
1 year, 2 months ago

Water bills will rise by 35pc in biggest hike ever to fix sewage crisis

The Telegraph  

Household water bills will rise more than £150 a year as the industry brings in major new investment to fix the sewage crisis. “Water companies are seeking regulatory approval to reduce overflow spills into rivers and seas as fast as possible and to doubling the number of households receiving support to pay their bills. Approving the plans is necessary so that we can provide the highest quality drinking water for a growing population, ensure the security of our water supply in the future and reduce the use of storm overflows as much as possible.” Mike Keil, the chief executive of the Consumer Council for Water, said: “Customers want to see investment in improving their services and enhancing the environment but any proposed substantial bill rises will add to the worries of many struggling households. “We also want to see evidence in these plans that more water companies are putting their hand in their own pocket to fund a step change in financial support for struggling customers.” Support for lower income households The industry is under pressure to fix infrastructure failings that cause hundreds of sewage spills into England’s rivers and seas every day, contributing to almost all being in a poor ecological state. The regulator said that it would be looking to ensure customers “only pay for future investment, not past company mistakes”, to stop water companies billing twice for work it has already promised to carry out.

Industry Water Investment Companies Pay Plans Bill Bills Water Companies Ofwat Sewage Water Bills Sewage Spills Sewage Crisis  rise  investment  biggest  water  hike  ensure  bill  pay  companies  industry  35pc  sewage  fix  plans  crisis  bills

History of this topic

Water bills set for steep price hike after Ofwat review – how much will yours rise by?
Trending News
4 days, 13 hours ago

Water bills set for steep price hike after Ofwat review – how much will yours rise by?

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Average water bills in England and Wales will increase by …

What do rising water bills mean for YOU? All your questions answered as average household set to pay an extra £31 per year
Trending News
4 days, 14 hours ago

What do rising water bills mean for YOU? All your questions answered as average household set to pay an extra £31 per year

Daily Mail  

Household water bills in England and Wales will increase by an average £31 a year over the next five years, regulator Ofwat announced today. Household water bills in England and Wales will increase by a total of £157 or 36 per cent over the next five years – an average £31 a year over that period. The Committee will hold …

Thames Water slapped with £18m fine by Ofwat for dishing out 'unjustified' dividends
4 days, 14 hours ago

Thames Water slapped with £18m fine by Ofwat for dishing out 'unjustified' dividends

Daily Mail  

Thames Water has been handed an £18.2million fine after regulator Ofwat used powers to crack down on firms paying 'unjustified' dividends for the first time. The regulator said Thames Water made interim dividend payouts totalling £37.5million to its holding company, Thames Water Utilities Holdings Limited, in October last year and further payouts of about £158.3million in March 2024. The ruling …

Water bills set to surge by 36%, regulator Ofwat says
Trending News
4 days, 16 hours ago

Water bills set to surge by 36%, regulator Ofwat says

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Average water bills in England and Wales will increase by …

Household water bills to rise by an average £31 a year from April
Top News
4 days, 16 hours ago

Household water bills to rise by an average £31 a year from April

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Household water bills in England …

Brits get soaked again! Check how much YOUR water bill is going up by after watchdog signs off massive hikes... with some places facing 53% rise PLUS inflation
4 days, 16 hours ago

Brits get soaked again! Check how much YOUR water bill is going up by after watchdog signs off massive hikes... with some places facing 53% rise PLUS inflation

Daily Mail  

Water bosses were today given the green light for huge bill hikes averaging 36 per cent over the next five years. Southern Water customers are being hit hardest with bills going up 53 per cent over the period - and inflation projected to add another 10 per cent. The water firms provide supplies to England and Wales The proposed bill …

Households ‘to be hit with hike in water bills of at least 20 per cent’ sparking backlash
1 week, 1 day ago

Households ‘to be hit with hike in water bills of at least 20 per cent’ sparking backlash

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Households are going to be hit with a hike in water …

Thames Water boss defends bonuses and repeats calls for steep bills hikes
1 week, 6 days ago

Thames Water boss defends bonuses and repeats calls for steep bills hikes

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Regulator Ofwat revealed in November that Thames Water was …

Thames Water: Fears of more bill hikes as £38bn bill revealed
1 month ago

Thames Water: Fears of more bill hikes as £38bn bill revealed

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. A spokesperson for Thames Water said: “We take a rigorous approach to financial discipline …

Two in five households will struggle to afford looming water bill price hikes
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Two in five households will struggle to afford looming water bill price hikes

Daily Mail  

Two in five households will struggle to pay a predicted increase in water bills, the water watchdog has warned. A survey by the Consumer Council for Water found 18 per cent of customers are already struggling to afford water bills. Overflowing: Many households are already struggling and cannot afford further bill increases Of that 40 per cent: 43 per cent …

Polluting water companies to face lighter punishments despite public outrage
1 month, 3 weeks ago

Polluting water companies to face lighter punishments despite public outrage

The Telegraph  

Failing water companies face lighter punishments under a climbdown being prepared by the industry regulator, risking an increase in leakages, water supply interruptions, and pollution. Investors in Britain’s water sector have rounded on the watchdog, claiming its hardline stance risks deterring further foreign investment in the industry at a time when it is crying out for billions of pounds of …

Thames Water: Why does the struggling water firm need emergency funding?
1 month, 4 weeks ago

Thames Water: Why does the struggling water firm need emergency funding?

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thames Water has said it …

Water companies push for higher bills again as customers face up to 84% hike
2 months ago

Water companies push for higher bills again as customers face up to 84% hike

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ …

Water companies ask to raise bills by even more than first planned
2 months ago

Water companies ask to raise bills by even more than first planned

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The watchdog wrote: “We will consider this additional expenditure …

Water companies ordered to pay back £158m to customers
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Water companies ordered to pay back £158m to customers

The Telegraph  

Water companies have been ordered to return £158m to households as they were rebuked over their poor performance. It comes after water companies’ sewage spills into English rivers and seas more than doubled last year, adding to growing public outrage over the privatised utilities sector. Ofwat chief executive David Black warned that water companies kept blaming “outside causes” rather than …

Starmer plots to raise bills to fund Thames Water bailout
3 months ago

Starmer plots to raise bills to fund Thames Water bailout

The Telegraph  

Sir Keir Starmer is planning to allow water bills across the country to be raised to pay for a Government bailout of Thames Water. New legislation will let the Government charge all water companies the full £10 billion cost if ministers decide to take over the struggling company. Thames Water has more than £15 billion of debt, and said in …

What will it cost to finally clean up our water industry?
3 months, 3 weeks ago

What will it cost to finally clean up our water industry?

The Independent  

These are only some of the problems facing the water industry – and a row has erupted about how much money will be needed to solve them. Water UK, the industry’s lobby group, is unhappy about Ofwat’s decision to allow average household bills to rise by £94 per household over the next five years. that its draft decision to cut …

Thames Water proposes huge new bills hike
3 months, 3 weeks ago

Thames Water proposes huge new bills hike

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. In its response to Ofwat’s draft determination on water companies’ …

Water suppliers brace for £2bn in sewage fines
4 months ago

Water suppliers brace for £2bn in sewage fines

The Telegraph  

Britain’s troubled water sector is facing the threat of £2bn in penalties over the next five years, as regulator Ofwat attempts to crack down on sewage failings. A report by the ratings agency Moody’s has predicted that tougher rules on pollution will spark a flood of regulatory fines, burdening many businesses already struggling to stay afloat. In Moody’s latest assessment …

Labour gets tough on water firms and ups compensation levels, with payouts set to double - here's how it works
4 months, 1 week ago

Labour gets tough on water firms and ups compensation levels, with payouts set to double - here's how it works

Daily Mail  

Households in England and Wales are set to get extra compensation from 'broken' water firms due to a government crackdown on customer service. Thames Oughta : Water companies have agreed to Labour's plans to invest heavily in upgrading the UK's neglected water mains to tackle the sewage crisis in rivers and seas Now the Government has plans to shake up …

British water firms fined for sewage pollution
4 months, 2 weeks ago

British water firms fined for sewage pollution

China Daily  

A van for the water treatment company Thames Water, is driven along a residential street in Guildford, southern England, Aug 6, 2024. Three major water utility companies in the United Kingdom face 168 million pounds in fines for numerous illegal sewage releases into rivers and coastal waters. Ofwat stated that the water companies "failed to ensure that discharges of untreated …

Sewage spills are STILL rising in the UK with companies failing to get crisis under control, Environment Agency warns in damning report
5 months ago

Sewage spills are STILL rising in the UK with companies failing to get crisis under control, Environment Agency warns in damning report

Daily Mail  

Sewage spills are still rising in the UK with water companies failing to get the crisis under control, the Environment Agency has warned in a damning report The agency said there were 47 serious pollution incidents last year – up from 44 in 2022. Shocking photos from August 2022 showed how Lake Windermere in the Lake District turned bright green …

New regulations as Labour tries to answer public anger over water companies
5 months ago

New regulations as Labour tries to answer public anger over water companies

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The Government is bringing in …

Fury as water bills are set to rise by £94 over next five years as regulator allow firms to hike prices by 21 per cent - so how much is your bill going up by?
5 months, 1 week ago

Fury as water bills are set to rise by £94 over next five years as regulator allow firms to hike prices by 21 per cent - so how much is your bill going up by?

Daily Mail  

In 2023, there 3.6 million hours of sewage spills in England's rivers and seas Customers have been left outraged after water bill hikes were revealed today with prices set to soar by £94 in five years. Regulator Ofwat has allowed firms to increase bills by 21 per cent, amid public outrage over polluted water ways and 3.6 million hours worth …

Starmer vows to make underperforming water bosses ‘personally responsible’
5 months, 1 week ago

Starmer vows to make underperforming water bosses ‘personally responsible’

The Telegraph  

It emerged on Thursday that Britain’s biggest water company, which serves 16 million customers in London and the south east, will face more intrusive oversight from Ofwat after being put into special measures. Chris Walters, an Ofwat director said: “It is difficult for us to stand behind a plan that a board can’t stand behind.” As part of its announcement …

Water investors have withdrawn billions from private companies, analyst claims
7 months ago

Water investors have withdrawn billions from private companies, analyst claims

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Shareholders in some of the UK’s largest water companies have …

Revealed: Interactive map shows where overloaded sewage pipes could burst again because water companies say it is 'not cost beneficial' to upgrade - but is YOUR home at risk?
7 months ago

Revealed: Interactive map shows where overloaded sewage pipes could burst again because water companies say it is 'not cost beneficial' to upgrade - but is YOUR home at risk?

Daily Mail  

Britain's greatest beauty spots and most stunning waterways are being continually polluted by water companies who say it is 'not cost beneficial' to upgrade the network to prevent leakage in half of all cases, MailOnline can reveal. Data analysis by MailOnline shows water firms decided there was 'no cost beneficial solution' to prevent 280 discharge sites in England that, due …

Troubled water company warns of 44% increase in bills
8 months ago

Troubled water company warns of 44% increase in bills

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Thames Water, which is battling to survive amid a funding …

Fears that customers' Thames Water bills could surge by 44 percent as troubled water company admits it needs £1.1billion more than it thought to fix sewage spills and leaks
8 months ago

Fears that customers' Thames Water bills could surge by 44 percent as troubled water company admits it needs £1.1billion more than it thought to fix sewage spills and leaks

Daily Mail  

There are fears that customers' Thames Water bills could surge by 44 per cent as the troubled water company unveiled new plans to boost spending. The utility giant - Britain's biggest water firm, with 16 million customers in London and the Thames Valley region - said its new business plan for the five years to 2030 would see spending rise …

Thames Water seeks 45pc bill rise as it piles pressure on Ofwat
8 months ago

Thames Water seeks 45pc bill rise as it piles pressure on Ofwat

The Telegraph  

It emerged on Monday that feared US hedge fund Elliott, owner of Waterstones, has been buying up debt in Thames Water in a bid to profit from its recent turmoil, the Financial Times reported. The need for increased revenues at Thames Water has been made increasingly acute after shareholders, such as China’s sovereign wealth fund, cut off funding last month. …

Welsh Water to pay out almost £40m after misleading over poor performance
9 months, 1 week ago

Welsh Water to pay out almost £40m after misleading over poor performance

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Welsh Water has been ordered …

Ban water company chief executive bonuses, Labour to tell Commons
1 year ago

Ban water company chief executive bonuses, Labour to tell Commons

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Labour will strengthen regulation to make sure every single …

Inside the water industry’s £96bn plan to clean up Britain’s rivers
1 year, 2 months ago

Inside the water industry’s £96bn plan to clean up Britain’s rivers

The Telegraph  

In the coming weeks, water company executives will face questions from the public in a fresh series of “your water, your say” meetings. At previous sessions this year, conducted via video conference, bosses from Thames Water, South West Water, United Utilities and others were asked to explain their poor record tackling leaks and river pollution. Under plans to clean up …

Water firms given go-ahead for £2.2bn of upgrades
1 year, 5 months ago

Water firms given go-ahead for £2.2bn of upgrades

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Water companies will be allowed …

Southern Water ‘considering bill rises of 73%’
1 year, 6 months ago

Southern Water ‘considering bill rises of 73%’

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Southern Water is proposing to …

South West Water boss gives up £440,000 bonus amid sewage leak backlash
1 year, 6 months ago

South West Water boss gives up £440,000 bonus amid sewage leak backlash

The Telegraph  

The boss of South West Water-owner Pennon Group has given up £440,000 in bonuses in the wake of record water quality fines for the company. Her decision comes amid growing public anger over the volume of sewage dumped in rivers and on beaches as water companies continue large payouts to shareholders. The firm was fined £2.15m in April for illegally …

People refusing to pay wastewater bills over anger at sewage pollution
1 year, 6 months ago

People refusing to pay wastewater bills over anger at sewage pollution

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “You’re trying to charge me for something I’m not getting and I will not pay that until you stop …

Anglian Water customers could face £91 annual bill increase
1 year, 7 months ago

Anglian Water customers could face £91 annual bill increase

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Anglian Water customers could face an increase on their bills of £91 a year – …

Shortages and Sickness: The alarming takeaways from UN's water report
1 year, 9 months ago

Shortages and Sickness: The alarming takeaways from UN's water report

Firstpost  

United Nations: Billions of people experience water-related issues on a daily basis — from contaminated drinking water, to droughts and floods — with a UN report warning Tuesday that the risk of a global crisis is “imminent.” Here are some key takeaways from the UN Water forum, which published its report as the first major conference on the issue in …

Fines for polluting water companies to rise 1,000-fold to £250m under plans to clean up rivers and seas, government says
2 years, 2 months ago

Fines for polluting water companies to rise 1,000-fold to £250m under plans to clean up rivers and seas, government says

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The new environment secretary, Ranil Jayawardena, has said the government will act to clean up …

New government plan to stop sewage spills branded ‘joke’ and ‘licence to pollute’
2 years, 3 months ago

New government plan to stop sewage spills branded ‘joke’ and ‘licence to pollute’

The Independent  

The Tory government’s new plan to tackle Britain’s sewage spill crisis with targets for water companies to make improvements by 2035 has been branded a “cruel joke” and a “licence to pollute”. The government claimed to be introducing the “strictest targets ever”, but Labour branded the plan weak and said it would not stop water companies treating Britain’s beaches and …

Wastewater firms miss targets for tackling pollution or sewage floods
2 years, 4 months ago

Wastewater firms miss targets for tackling pollution or sewage floods

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “No amount of financial penalties can undo the damage caused by wastewater companies polluting the environment or ease the …

Water company exec bonuses ‘up 21% despite sewage scandal’
2 years, 4 months ago

Water company exec bonuses ‘up 21% despite sewage scandal’

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Average water company executives’ salaries and bonuses rose by 21 per cent from 2020-2021 to 2021-2022, according to an …

Plan to reduce sewage in rivers is shelved by the Government
2 years, 4 months ago

Plan to reduce sewage in rivers is shelved by the Government

The Telegraph  

Official plans to reduce the amount of raw sewage that is dumped in rivers and lakes across the country have been delayed by the Government, it has emerged. Jim McMahon, the shadow environment secretary, accused water companies of “routinely dumping raw sewage in our rivers, seas and even on children’s playing fields” while ministers “dither and delay” over how to …

Thames Water taps investors for cash as it boosts overhaul plans
2 years, 5 months ago

Thames Water taps investors for cash as it boosts overhaul plans

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thames Water is making a …

Families face extra £60 a year on their bills to fix leaky sewers
2 years, 8 months ago

Families face extra £60 a year on their bills to fix leaky sewers

Daily Mail  

Households will have to pay an extra £60 a year on water bills to pay to fix Britain’s creaking Victorian sewage system – despite water company bosses pocketing millions each year. Water companies dumped sewage more than 370,000 times into rivers last year for a duration of a staggering 2.6million hours. Today, we are setting specific targets to ensure that …

Water companies are 'releasing raw sewage into rivers more than 1,000 times a day'
2 years, 10 months ago

Water companies are 'releasing raw sewage into rivers more than 1,000 times a day'

The Telegraph  

Wildlife havens have become foul sludge, but we can still save them By Feargal Sharkey, the former lead singer of the Undertones and chairman of the Amwell Magna Fishery, the oldest fly-fishing club in England It’s the retirement home we could all dream about. An Elizabethan house nestling quietly in the rolling hills of Hertfordshire surrounded by some of the …

Sewage discharges into UK’s rivers and beaches soar by 88 per cent in 12 months
3 years ago

Sewage discharges into UK’s rivers and beaches soar by 88 per cent in 12 months

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Raw sewage pumped into Britain’s rivers and coastal waters by water companies has increased dramatically …

Why MPs voting against new sewage restrictions is causing a stink
3 years, 1 month ago

Why MPs voting against new sewage restrictions is causing a stink

The Independent  

Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Tory MP Huw …

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