How a lot YOUR water invoice will rise within the subsequent 5 years

 Household water bills are set to rise by an average of £94 over the next five years – with some unlucky regions seeing bills go up by almost £200.

One area of the country should see bills fall, although by just £12.

The water bill changes are laid out in proposals by regulator Ofwat, which has analysed the spending plans of English and Welsh water companies.

These water firms gave Ofwat their five-year spending plans in October 2023.

Most argued that bill hikes were needed to pay for infrastructure improvements – including cutting down on the scandal of sewage being pumped into waterways and seas.

Now the regulator has now set out the bill changes it thinks are reasonable, and has put one water firm, Thames Water, into special measures.

Ofwat will make a final decision on the exact level of bill changes in December 2024.

The highest projected bill hikes by far are for customers of Southern Water, which covers Kent, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, East Sussex and West Sussex.

These households will see bill rises of almost half (44 per cent) if Ofwat officially signs off its proposals.

Here is how the regulator wants water bills to change in your area.

Mike Keil, chief executive of the Consumer Council for Water (CCW), said: ‘Millions of people will feel upset and anxious at the prospect of these water bill rises and question the fairness of them given some water companies’ track record of failure and poor service. 

‘Customers understand investment is urgently needed, but they need reassurance that every pound of their money is going to be well spent. 

‘Trust in water companies has never been lower and that won’t change until people see and experience a difference – whether that’s having the confidence to swim at their favourite beach or receiving help if they are struggling to pay their bill.’

How to save money on water bills

Consider a water meter

Around 40 per cent of households in England and Wales not do not have a water meter, and some of these would save money on water bills by getting one fitted.

Getting a water meter is usually the best way of saving money on bills, for those that don’t use an above-average amount of water. 

Not everyone will save with a meter, but water companies will usually give you two years to trial one and allow you to switch back if you are unhappy.

Water firms do not have to agree to fit a water meter, for example if doing so would be costly or counterproductive. This might be the case if multiple residences share the same water pipes.

Meanwhile, in some areas, having one is compulsory if the water company requests it.

The CCW has a calculator that helps you understand if a water meter could save you money.

However, the rule of thumb is that a water bill could lower your bills if you live in a property with a high ‘rateable value’ (the formula used to set estimated water bills), do not use much water and/or live alone.

Use less water if you can

If you have a water meter fitted, using less water means paying lower bills.

Water bills for homes with these meters are made up of fees for water used, as well as daily standing charges.

But using less water also means lower energy bills, as much of the water homes use is heated first.

CCW figures show that if every person in a family of four reduced their daily shower time by two minutes, they could save around £280 a year in water and energy combined costs.

Fix leaks and upgrade thirsty appliances

Likewise, fixing leaks early can save you money on water bills – again if you have a meter fitted.

Signs of a water leak include the obvious – drips, dampness, walls, floors and ceilings changing colour, mould and a musty smell.

But some water leaks can be harder to spot. For example, wet patches or greener spots in your garden can indicate a water leak from an underground pipe.

Likewise, low boiler pressure can indicate a leak in your hot water system.

Updating some of your appliances at the end of their life can also save huge amounts on water bills.

For example, even replacing your old toilet with a dual flush model could save more than £100 a year, according to B&Q owner Kingfisher.

This is because toilets are responsible for 22 per cent of all the water used in a home, and a dual flush loo lets users regulate how much is used in every flush. 

Check if you are eligible for a social tariff

Every water company in England and Wales has its own social tariff scheme designed to help customers on a low income.

But who is eligible and the level of support offered varies hugely from company to company. In some instances, bills can be reduced by as much as 90 per cent.

CCW has a list of social tariffs and criteria on its website.

For example, Thames Water’s social tariff is called Water Help.

It cuts water bills by 50 per cent for homes where this costs more than 5 per cent of their net income.

Almost two million homes – or 15 per cent – are eligible for water social tariffs but not signed up to one, according to the CCW.

Five water companies use their own profits to help offer cheaper tariffs.

These are Welsh Water, Severn Trent, Yorkshire Water, SES Water and United Utilities.

Consider the WaterSure scheme

WaterSure is a Government programme run by water firms to discount bills for qualifying households in England and Wales.

To qualify, a household must be on certain benefits, such as Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit or income-related Employment and Support Allowance.

Most of the benefits on the list are for those on low incomes.

A household signing up to WaterSure will also need large amounts of water, either for medical reasons or because it has a lot of young children.

They must also either have a water meter fitted, or be on a waiting list for one.

WaterSure provides discounts to both the water and sewerage parts of a water bill.

To apply, you will need to fill in a form from your water company, and will likely need to prove you are on benefits and have a qualifying medical condition.

Consider water-saving gadgets

Many devices that help save water and money are handed out for free by water firms, though this does depend on where you live.

These widgets include water-saving shower heads, water butts and so on.

To find out what you can get, put your postcode into the Save Water Save Money website.