Millions of households to be hit with water bill rises of up to £19-a-year – key ways to save
MILLIONS of households could face forking out £19 more a year on their water bills, according to the regulator.
Customer water bills are proposed to increase by an average of £19 a year for the next five years, Ofwat said.
The regulator said the rises are a third less than the increase requested by water companies.
Firms had proposed an average increase of £144 over the next five years, it said.
The proposed hikes come as part of Ofwat’s 2024 Price Review (PR24) which covers the period from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2030.
The review will set limits on what water companies can charge their customers for their water.
Ofwat’s chief executive David Black said: “Customers want to see radical change in the way water companies care for the environment.
“Our draft decisions on company plans approve a tripling of investment to make sustained improvement to customer service and the environment at a fair price for customers.
“These proposals aim to deliver a 44% reduction in spills from storm overflows compared to levels in 2021.
“We expect all companies to embrace innovation and go further and faster to reduce spills wherever possible.”
There are plenty of water-saving methods which can be put in place at home, with minimal effort.
Some are quick fixes, whilst others involve changing some fixtures and fittings, but are worth it in the long run for the amount of money to be saved.
From using a dual flush toilet to changing your shower head, here are the best ways to save your cash in the long-run.
If you are on a water meter and don’t pay a fixed amount for your water bill, reducing your water consumption will lower the cost.
Around 60% of households have water meters, so millions can stand to make savings.
Move from a traditional flush to a dual-flash toilet – £109
Toilets alone make up approximately 22% of a typical home’s water usage.
Dual flush toilets have gained popularity as an eco-friendly solution for households.
In fact, many modern toilet systems come with a dual flush option for water conservation, but many users don’t know how much of a difference they can make to water usage in the home.
The large flush can use 6 to 9 litres at a time, whereas the small flush uses less water, coming in at 3 to 4 litres.
A dual flush toilet uses two buttons to flush liquid and solid waste, reducing water use, instead of a handle.
By switching from a traditional flush toilet to a dual-flush toilet, you can save £109 per year, according to Kingfisher, the owner of B&Q and Screwfix.
However, it’s important to check whether your dual flush system isn’t leaking water into the bowl – if so it could end up costing you more each year.
Move from a higher flow to a low-flow showerhead – £94
Low-flow shower heads can decrease water consumption by 40% or more, conserving water and reducing your monthly water bill.
Showers take energy to heat water, so both your water usage and energy usage will decrease.
According to the Energy Saving Trust, replacing your shower head with a water efficient one could save a four-person household as much as £38 a year on gas for water heating, as well as a further £53 a year on their water bills.
In total, you’re likely to save an estimated £94 per year from switching from a higher flow to a low-flow showerhead.
Simply swap your higher flow showerhead fitting, for a low-flow showerhead.
You can also purchase low flow taps and even toilets.
Reduce showers from eight minutes to five – £61
Almost half of Brits say they shower for longer than six minutes per day, with 1 in 5 – or 22% – showering longer than ten minutes.
Nearly half – 49% – admit that they sometimes, often or always, shower longer than needed.
But by reducing your shower time from eight to five minutes, you can save up to £61 per year.
Don’t leave the tap running whilst brushing your teeth – £37
You can even cut your water bills when you’re brushing your teeth.
1 in 3 Brits – or 34% – have admitted that they currently do this sometimes or very often.
If you brush your teeth for 2 minutes and let the tap run you could use over 12 litres of water.
Only using the tap to clean your brush and the sink means you could save around £37 a year.
Energy Saving Trust also recommends you only use cold water to stop your boiler from unnecessarily firing up for a few minutes.
Fix your leaking toilet – £236
It’s estimated that 5% of UK homes currently have a leaky toilet, which can waste a staggering 200-400 litres of water each day.
Simply fixing your leaky toilet will save you £236 per year.
Andrew Tucker, water demand reduction manager at Thames Water previously told The Sun: “Typically all that involves is replacing the inside valves or washers, which you can get at any DIY store.”
Should I get a water meter?
It might be worth swapping to a water meter if your water usage is reasonably low.
Water meters measure the exact amount of water you use, rather than relying on estimates based on rateable values, which is a calculation based on your property and cannot be changed.
You can find out what your home’s ratable value is here.
If it’s high, and you live by yourself, for example, it may be worth considering swapping to a water meter.
Most homes can have a meter installed free of charge.
The Consumer Council for Water website has a handy calculator which can tell you whether it is worth asking for a meter.