WATER bills will go up within days in another blow for households.
The average combined water bill will rise from £417 to £448 this year, according to Water UK.
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The exact amount your bill will rise from April 1 will depend on where you live, how much you’re charged and the rate it’s increasing by.
Different areas of the country have a water company assigned to them, and they’re responsible for setting the costs of bills and rises.
Unfortunately, you can’t simply switch to another one when you’re unhappy like you can with other utilities.
But that doesn’t mean water companies can just set whatever prices they like – they have to follow strict rules set by the regulator, Ofwat, to make sure that bills are fair and provide value for money.
The exact price you pay is also down to how much water you use and if you have a water meter to record your usage or not.
Your total water bill also covers sewage costs in the area as well as just the costs of treating water and having it supplied to your home.
It’s split roughly in half between the sewage and water cost.
How water bill prices change in April
Here’s how much each water company is increasing – or in some cases decreasing – its prices.
We’ve shown the average bill, but how much you pay might be more depending on your personal usage.
The price also shows the total you pay for a combined water and sewage bill.
Anglian Water
- Increase: 10%
- Was: £445
- From April: £492
- Extra: £47 a year
Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water
- Increase: 2%
- Was: £485
- From April: £499
- Extra: £59 a year
Hafren Dyfrdwy
- Increase: 12%
- Was: £331
- From April: £372
- Extra: £41 a year
Northumbrian Water
- Increase: 8%
- Was: £362
- From April: £391
- Extra: £29 a year
Severn Trent Water
- Increase: 7%
- Was: £391
- From April: £419
- Extra: £28 a year
Southern Water
- Increase: 10%
- Was: £396
- From April: £439
- Extra: £43 a year
South West Water
- Increase: 8%
- Was: £472
- From April: £476
- Extra: £48 a year
Thames Water
- Increase: 9%
- Was: £417
- From April: £456
- Extra: £39 a year
United Utilities
- Increase: 6%
- Was: £417
- From April: £443
- Extra: £26 a year
Wessex Water
- Increase: 9%
- Was: £462 a year
- From April: £504
- Extra: £42 a year
Yorkshire Water
- Increase: 7%
- Was: £416
- From April: £446
- Extra: £40 a year
There are a number of ways you can slash your water bills.
You can save cash by cutting down the amount of time you spend in the shower.
You could cut £70 from your energy bills and reduce your water bills too by reducing your wash time, according to Uswitch.
And leaving the water running while you brush your teeth could add £60 a year to your bills, says Octopus.
The same goes for washing dishes, be sure you turn the tap off as if you’re doing it in the sink, leaving it running will add £25 to your annual bill.
Fixing leaks in the home is another. A leaky loo can waste between 215 and 400 litres of water per day.
Making sure you only use your washing machine or dishwasher when they are fully loaded helps too.
Plus, switching to an aerated shower head could save a household of four £75 on their energy bills and £45 on their water bills every year, Water UK estimates.
An aerated shower blends water with air to create larger droplets of water.
Many water companies offer free water-saving devices that shave pounds off your bills too – which can slash your bills by hundreds every year.
Contact your supplier or check out savewatersavemoney.co.uk.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk
