- Water bills in England and Wales to increase £156 annually by 2030.
- Funds will support infrastructure improvements.
- Critics cite past underinvestment and profit prioritization.
Water companies in England and Wales seek to raise bills by £156 per year by 2030 to fund improvements and reduce sewage discharges.
The increase would support nearly doubling infrastructure spending to £96 billion, according to the water industry.
The proposals come despite public outrage over sewage discharges and cost-of-living pressures.
Critics argue that water companies have prioritized shareholder profits over adequate investment since privatization.
More than £200 billion has been invested in water infrastructure over the past decade, but additional funding is deemed “urgently” necessary.
Water companies’ individual investment plans for 2025-2030 will be examined by the regulator, Ofwat, with bill increases varying by company.
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Fees will rise incrementally, starting with an average £84 increase in 2025, followed by an additional £156 annually until 2030.
Feargal Sharkey, a clean water advocate, called the proposals a “breathtakingly catastrophic strategy.”
The GMB union criticized the increases, citing past dividends, sewage discharges, and decades of underinvestment.
Water UK claims ambitious sewer modernization plans and reduced leakage by a quarter by 2030 are in progress.
They also plan to build a new reservoir, reduce sewage leaks into waterways, and provide assistance to more households.
Ofwat will subject water companies’ plans to “forensic” analysis and seek public input in October and November.
A preliminary response will be published in May, and the final decision on allowable charges will be announced in December.
Environment Secretary Therese Coffey welcomed the investment plans but urged that customers not “pay the price for poor performance.”
Regulator Ofwat ordered water companies to refund customers £114 million last week for missing targets over the past five years.
