Water utilities propose significant price hikes, reaching a maximum of 91%, set to take effect from 2025
In the wake of growing public concern and union criticism, the water regulator, Ofwat, has announced a delay in its decision regarding water companies' requests to raise bills. The decision, initially planned for release on April 1, has been pushed back until July 11, due to the upcoming general election.
Ofwat's CEO, David Black, has stated that they will forensically scrutinize water companies' proposals to ensure any increase in bills is justified, efficient, and delivers significant improvements in river and bathing water quality. This rigorous examination is part of Ofwat's role, which is to ensure that any increase in bills is not only financially sound but also contributes to the improvement of water quality.
However, a survey conducted by Ofwat revealed that only 16% of customers found the proposed water bill increases to be affordable. This finding has sparked outrage among the public and unions, with Gary Carter, National Officer at the GMB union, expressing his discontent. Carter criticised the water companies' behaviour, stating that it seems as if they are actively trying to make the public hate them, and that water privatization has been a catastrophic failure for the country.
Despite the delay in the decision, Ofwat has made it clear that they will continue to monitor companies' performance, hold them accountable for delivering improvements, and push them to build meaningful plans to change. One such commitment is Southern Water's pledge to increase the number of customers receiving help with water bills from 120,000 to 200,000 by 2030.
The search results do not provide specific information about which water companies have applied for surcharge increases. However, Ofwat's commitment to thorough examination and public interest ensures that any decisions made will be transparent and in the best interest of the public.
In the meantime, The Guardian has reported on the delay in the decision regarding water bill increases, adding to the public interest and anticipation for Ofwat's final decision in July.
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