How much is your water bill?

[Kenai]

A full audit of where every penny has gone, followed by complete shutdown of every single expense which isn't 100% required for the operation of the company.

Much like the actual physical leakage problem, you'd find yourself spending more trying to fix the leaks than the leaks are actually costing in most of those cases.

The biggest drains can be grabbed relatively easily but trying to track down every pound and penny that might be 'misspent' will never be economical enough to bother doing.

 

[dymetrie]

Anglian water, here.

Last November our monthly amount (4 bed house, 2 adults, 2 children/teens) went from £56-£74.

No huge spike in usage (around 150m3/year), but a nice jump in unit rate and standing charge.

The big problem with privatisation of water is absolutely the change from investing in the network, to paying shareholders. So many leaks and issues across the network (not to mention the amount of sewerage 'accidents') because funds that should have gone into maintaining, upgrading and modernising the network, particularly in light of increased homebuilding putting extra strain on antiquated mains systems, have gone into shareholder pockets.

And then the water companies have the cheek to argue against the regulator's limits because their years of underinvestment means that they need to fleece their customers to fix their flagrant disregard for doing their actual job!

 

[Nasher]

Water bill is just extortionate now.

I did get quite some money back by "finding a leak" If they want to be pirates, I'll be a Shark.

We really need switching like with other utilities to create competition. Or it needs to go back in to public ownership.

 

[StonedPenguin]

£40/month, unmetered - Seven trent water.

 

[Kenai]

We really need switching like with other utilities to create competition.

Add in a middle man for billing that wants to skim their own slice of profit too, whilst the water comes from the exact same place it did before, that'll definitely work.

Probably the cleverest thing the energy market ever did to be fair, let the public think they're getting competitive offers with the facade of different billing companies whilst all the big money making is hidden away behind the scenes where it isn't obvious.

 

[fez]

Just got our latest bill and its £520/6 months. Thats ******* outrageous. We are in a 3 bedroom house and there are 4 of us. Two small children who have a bath most days which they share. I shower probably 5 times a week and my partner baths probably 3-4 times a week. We run the dishwasher most days and probably do a load of washing per day on average.

Thats about as much as we spend on gas/electricity for 8 months of the year. Its bloody water. We live in a wet country. I know they need to treat and process water and waste but its ridiculous. Utilities in this country are an absolute scam.

 

[bigmike20vt]

3 bed house, 2 adults, 1 almost 10 year old and our 1/4ly is now well over £200. i would say its doubled in the last 12 months

my wife showers daily (and she does take a while), I shower once or twice a week (no not poor hygene, i shower at the swimming pool as well 3x a week - may as well use their water and energy - i pay enough for my membership! ) and the lad showers every other day or more depending on what he has been up to.
dishwasher goes on 4x a week and the washing machine probably half a dozen loads a week

according to the app we are heavy users however in the top 25% of similar users for our area. I do try not to waste water but dunno where it goes.... its not a leak either, our smart meter shows periods of zero use over night.
I do regret getting a new smart meter. it would seem perhaps our old smart meter was under reporting our use significantly as our use has shot up on the new meter - apparently not uncommon for some of the very 1st "mechanical" smart meters to under report (I have no idea how they work tbh).

 

[Nasher]

Add in a middle man for billing that wants to skim their own slice of profit too, whilst the water comes from the exact same place it did before, that'll definitely work.

Probably the cleverest thing the energy market ever did to be fair, let the public think they're getting competitive offers with the facade of different billing companies whilst all the big money making is hidden away behind the scenes where it isn't obvious.

That's how it works for business property and water is dirt cheap for them...

The whole thing is a cartel. We never signed a contract with a water company, yet we have to pay one (not of our choice). Or else they can send debt collectors to claim for something we never signed a contract for.

 

[CaptainRAVE]

£60 a month, but I watered the garden most of the year. It’ll likely drop back down to £30 or so next time.

 

[moogle]

£26 to £53, this was after an increase earlier in the year from £20 - £26, which I thought was the actual rise! With Thames Water, who should have gone bankrupt by now. Really peed me off as we had a meter installed years back to reduce the costs (as well as they forced us to get one). Decided to change my billing to be on receipt of the bill every 6 months so they can wait for the money instead of having it trickle in monthly.

 

[do_ron_ron]

Get a meter.

Everyone should have a meter and pay for what they use, it also stops you wasting it.

Two person house here, twenty odd quid a month iirc.

No meter, no private owned, no extraction of funds to shareholders and others.

 

[GIBURROWS]

£26 to £53, this was after an increase earlier in the year from £20 - £26, which I thought was the actual rise! With Thames Water, who should have gone bankrupt by now. Really peed me off as we had a meter installed years back to reduce the costs (as well as they forced us to get one). Decided to change my billing to be on receipt of the bill every 6 months so they can wait for the money instead of having it trickle in monthly.

Yeah but think of how much better quality water you're going to get going from £26 to £53!!!!

Peckham spring.

 

[Conscript]

I have no idea what's going on.

Southern Water. Earlier this year we had the water bill come through. £485. DD rising from £33 to £67 a month. Water usage hasn't changed much..in fact, it went down slightly compared to the preceding year. Latest average is reported as 210 litres per day, which sounded high to me, but apparently is about normal.

Had an email this morning. "To keep your account on track, your Direct Debit payment is changing to £73.64 from December." I don't know how. We aren't using any more water. I logged into the account and click Amend Payment just to review it and there's a warning that says "The payment amount you have selected won't cover your usage which may result in you owing us money. Please increase the amount to at least £79.22."

Wtaf? I am not sure how they are justifying these direct debit rises. According to their own figures, our usage averages 210 litres, or £1.29 a day.

For usage context - there's two of us in a small, 2 bedroom house. Bathroom was redone a couple of years ago to get rid of the bathtub as we only shower and aren't prone to spending that long in it anyway. Toilet was changed to a modern water saving one at the same time. Hot water system is traditional boiler and water tank, but our hot water is only scheduled to run for an hour a day and the heating is used sparingly. The most water intense thing I do is washing the car, but I try to do that less these days and almost always used a pressure washer as I understand it's more efficient. And I haven't used a garden sprinkler at all this year (did so the year before but noticed the increased usage).

Just been in the loft double checking the water tank. Nothing running, all taps closed. Went and checked the water meter in the road, couldn't see any movement so I don't think I have a leak. I'm not really sure what else I can do to reduce usage.

Am I alone in thinking that £80 a month is obscene?

 

[do_ron_ron]

I have no idea what's going on.

Southern Water. Earlier this year we had the water bill come through. £485. DD rising from £33 to £67 a month. Water usage hasn't changed much..in fact, it went down slightly compared to the preceding year. Latest average is reported as 210 litres per day, which sounded high to me, but apparently is about normal.

Had an email this morning. "To keep your account on track, your Direct Debit payment is changing to £73.64 from December." I don't know how. We aren't using any more water. I logged into the account and click Amend Payment just to review it and there's a warning that says "The payment amount you have selected won't cover your usage which may result in you owing us money. Please increase the amount to at least £79.22."

Wtaf? I am not sure how they are justifying these direct debit rises. According to their own figures, our usage averages 210 litres, or £1.29 a day.

For usage context - there's two of us in a small, 2 bedroom house. Bathroom was redone a couple of years ago to get rid of the bathtub as we only shower and aren't prone to spending that long in it anyway. Toilet was changed to a modern water saving one at the same time. Hot water system is traditional boiler and water tank, but our hot water is only scheduled to run for an hour a day and the heating is used sparingly. The most water intense thing I do is washing the car, but I try to do that less these days and almost always used a pressure washer as I understand it's more efficient. And I haven't used a garden sprinkler at all this year (did so the year before but noticed the increased usage).

Just been in the loft double checking the water tank. Nothing running, all taps closed. Went and checked the water meter in the road, couldn't see any movement so I don't think I have a leak. I'm not really sure what else I can do to reduce usage.

Am I alone in thinking that £80 a month is obscene?

Your increase is due to OFWAT letting water companies in England to charge large amounts.

While water bills will vary depending on the circumstances of each household, the average increase forecasted for 2025/26 will be 26%. Today’s annual announcement sets out charges by water companies for 2025-26 only. This is separate to the PR24 process which sets the allowed revenue cap for the 2025-30 period.

Average bills 2025/26 press statement - Ofwat

Following the announcement from Water UK regarding new charges from water companies for 2025/26, Ofwat’s full statement is as follows: David Black, Ofwat Chief Executive, said: “We recognise the challenge that some customers are facing […]

www.ofwat.gov.uk

Glad I am in Scotland where it is not privatised and bills are cheaper.

 

[DJMK4]

Yeah but think of how much better quality water you're going to get going from £26 to £53!!!!

Peckham spring.

I loved that episode

who would have thought re-bottling council water and selling it on will make you profit

 

[Conscript]

Your increase is due to OFWAT letting water companies in England to charge large amounts.

Average bills 2025/26 press statement - Ofwat

Following the announcement from Water UK regarding new charges from water companies for 2025/26, Ofwat’s full statement is as follows: David Black, Ofwat Chief Executive, said: “We recognise the challenge that some customers are facing […]

www.ofwat.gov.uk

Glad I am in Scotland where it is not privatised and bills are cheaper.

[urge to revolt intensifies]

 

[NickK]

We're consuming approximately the same ~0.5m^3/day since 2023 and 2025, however the cost per m^3 has increased 200% and the 'fixed charge' is now increased 400% from 2023 figures. Current rates that would be approximately £1,000/year which would work out at approx £83/month.

I've made some adjustments so I'm expecting a drop in the consumption and I'll be tracking that weekly in a spreadsheet #nerd.
* A the loo had a leak into the bowl, today I've just replaced the cistern dual flush valve with a dual flush valve with one that you can configure the flush volumes for half and full. The cistern originally was a 4/6 litre flush, but with the entire fill and flush now being configurable it's now set it to be around 2/5. The thing refills fast so if anyone needs more flushing then they can stand and wait in shame .
* we have a rain shower - two times a day - this is fed by hot and cold 22mm pipes into the mixer and 10mm out IIRC so other than closing off the 22mm isolators a little I don't think there's much todo here (who wants a crap shower in the morning!).
* dishwasher on eco every 2-3 days
* washing machine 1-2 times a week
* pond is now set to clean less so that's going to see a reduction (I've also reduced the pressure). I'd estimate 24l every 24 hours.
* the combi boiler flushes for about 10 seconds.

Thames water complain about need to fix the existing pipework etc. Yet they seem to be awarding themselves excellent pay packages. Really they need a % of pipe modernisation on their network and the amount of wasted water, then go to the government and say we want to replace X and as a result we want you to make that tax free or who part in - that way they demonstrate we're getting value for money in the long run and in performance.

 

[do_ron_ron]

[urge to revolt intensifies]

Labour mouthpiece in Scotland was ranting about Scottish water rise of 9.9% whereas it is ~26% in England.

Average monthly household bills will rise by £3.68 per month or £44 per year from 1 April 2025 – equivalent to 85p a week. This equates to a rise of 9.9% in charges.

Apparently, because it is unmetered Scots use more water per head.

Scotland uses more water per person than England, with an average of about 178-180 liters per person per day compared to England's average of 137 liters.

 

[dymetrie]

Just put in my annual meter read to Anglian Water and got my lovely adjusted direct debit.

19% increase in charges, with no expected change in water use.

19%

That's criminal.