News

Water charges increase by an average of 4.6% as OFWAT uses higher inflation marker.

Water and  waste water charges are due to increase by 4.6% on average this year from 1st April, the regulator OFWAT decided not to use the lower measure of inflation favoured by the Government.

Dependant on the supplier some companies will see higher increases dependant upon geographical locations, for instance.

Northumbrian Water – 7.8% – this is the largest increase.

Welsh Water – 2.7% – this is the lowest increase.

The increases overall would have averaged at 3.3% if OFWAT had linked the charges to (CPI) Consumer Price Index instead OFWAT chose to use (RPI) Retail Price Index which included mortgage interest, this decision by OFWAT is clear evidence of double standards, the Government having decided to use CPI as the best benchmark for pensions and welfare reducing the level of payments.

A spokesman for the firm H²O Building Services who are experts in water audits, water leak detection and water leak repair  and water consultancy  services stated ” With these types of increases year on year our water cost reduction and water auditing services are in demand more than ever, the customer services in Water Companies are very poor taking an average of many weeks if not months to resolve simple issues, normally where the Water Companies have overcharged a customer, they are never quick to conclude these cases. UK companies are due £m’s worth of refunds due to gross overcharging and it appears OFWAT are not really interested and are leaving it up to the customers to identify the overcharge, rather than the Water Companies levying the correct bill in the first place”.

“The way the Water Companies are regulated needs a complete overhaul and an independant review as Water Companies are simply getting away with overcharging customers on a regular basis”.