Thames Water bills to rise by 5.5 per cent

8:25am Tuesday 5th February 2013 in News Photograph of the Author By Jamie Brooks, Contact me on 01865 425422

THAMES Water today announced an increase in its customers’ bills for the next financial year.

Bills are set to increase by 5.5 per cent, raising the average annual bill by £18 to £354.

The increase comes in for the 2013/14 financial year and the company says it will invest more than £1 billion per year on improvements to its water pipes.

Comments(20)

Danny A says...
9:09am Tue 5 Feb 13

I see competition and choice working really well in the privatised water market. Plus dividends are holding up strongly, over £5bn paid out to date.

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bart-on simpson says...
10:40am Tue 5 Feb 13

5.5% is extortionate, but until it hurts the mindless washing the car every Saturday morning, watering the garden on the first sign of a hot day, will continue. People must do everything to reduce their water consumption.

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xjohnx says...
11:55am Tue 5 Feb 13

Compared to most parts of the world, our water is still incredibly cheap in real terms.

I like 'bar-ton simpsons' ideas. Don't waste water.

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Sandy Wimpole-Smythe says...
11:57am Tue 5 Feb 13

The average household water and sewerage bill in England and Wales is to rise by 3.5% over the next year, regulator Ofwat has said. (taken from BBC News)

So why do Thames Water see fit to raise their prices by 5.5% ? Perhaps the Oxford mail could ask for us ?

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Isawyoucoming says...
12:41pm Tue 5 Feb 13

Sandy Wimpole-Smythe wrote:
The average household water and sewerage bill in England and Wales is to rise by 3.5% over the next year, regulator Ofwat has said. (taken from BBC News)

So why do Thames Water see fit to raise their prices by 5.5% ? Perhaps the Oxford mail could ask for us ?
Because they can

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TommyC says...
1:09pm Tue 5 Feb 13

Apparently the main infrastructure being paid for out of this increase is a major upgrade of the sewage system in London. Something that will not benefit the people of Oxfordshire in the slightest.

Either let the people of London pay for this development, or if it's so important, let the burden be shared by everyone in the UK. At the moment people in Oxfordshire are being made to pay because of the geographical accident that places them under the same water company as London.

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Grunden Skip says...
1:19pm Tue 5 Feb 13

bart-on simpson wrote:
5.5% is extortionate, but until it hurts the mindless washing the car every Saturday morning, watering the garden on the first sign of a hot day, will continue. People must do everything to reduce their water consumption.
How does the standard charge for water affect me washing my car everyday, or watering the Garden of an evening. I pay the same whatever.

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amgard says...
2:17pm Tue 5 Feb 13

Whilst it makes environmental sense to reduce wastage of water, it's the last thing Thames Water would want, as they'd have to increase prices even further to cover the lack of income.

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bart-on simpson says...
2:25pm Tue 5 Feb 13

Grunden, so you don't pay for the amount used? How very communistic! Get a meter.

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snert says...
2:49pm Tue 5 Feb 13

A meter is so much better value. My bills drop by well over half when I'm on a meter. Each time I move house I get TW to come in and fit one. Unless you've got a family of 4 or 5 that use excessive amounts and you don't educate them on reducing their consumption then a meter will be cheaper.

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carli says...
3:50pm Tue 5 Feb 13

more money down the drain!!!!

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Sid Hunt says...
4:00pm Tue 5 Feb 13

Meters will only be better value until everyone has them. Then, unit prices will increase to cover the reduced consumption.

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Grunden Skip says...
4:02pm Tue 5 Feb 13

bart-on simpson wrote:
Grunden, so you don't pay for the amount used? How very communistic! Get a meter.
Why would I want to get a meter to improve the profits of an Australian company that does nothing to improve the lives of people flooded out, and thinks that billions of gallons of water wasted through leaks is OK. The Aussies SAID that flooding in South Oxford could easily be solved, but it would cost them too much money, so it will NOT be done. So I will take solace that by leaving my taps running when I go to bed, having my garden sprinklers on 24/7 and turning the washing machine on every morning (empty) that I am not causing any water shortage, or costing myself any more money, but hitting the dividend of a group of rich people half way around the world who couldn't give a sh!t about those of us flooded out. And yes it makes me feel good.

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Myron Blatz says...
6:35pm Tue 5 Feb 13

Was this news 'leaked' to maintain Thames Water's terrible record for keeping price increases in direct proportion to really 'gross' shareholder profits?

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Watch your back says...
9:50pm Tue 5 Feb 13

I don't mind paying the extra, after all they are reinvesting the increase back into the system, one day it will be free for all of us!!

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Simon33 says...
7:55am Wed 6 Feb 13

Wonder how many of these commentators own shares in TW?

If we all reduced our water consumption - yes stop cleaning cars and watering gardens from the tap, and using a washing machine fulkl cycle for one pair of trousers then whacking big billion pound reservoirs would not have to be built, and so pull the rug from under TW for their 'investments'.

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Geoff Roberts says...
8:14am Wed 6 Feb 13

Get water companies out of private hands ASAP.

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Sandy Wimpole-Smythe says...
8:44am Wed 6 Feb 13

Geoff Roberts wrote:
Get water companies out of private hands ASAP.
Not going to happen any time soon. Many of our current cabinet are known to be major share holders in water companies and it is not in THEIR interest.

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Grunden Skip says...
4:25pm Thu 7 Feb 13

Simon33 wrote:
Wonder how many of these commentators own shares in TW?

If we all reduced our water consumption - yes stop cleaning cars and watering gardens from the tap, and using a washing machine fulkl cycle for one pair of trousers then whacking big billion pound reservoirs would not have to be built, and so pull the rug from under TW for their 'investments'.
your comment makes no sense. If we all cut down our consumption then there would be even more profits for The Aussies, as they would have to provide less product for the same money.

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NinjaBiscuits says...
9:45am Mon 11 Feb 13

Exactly, Grunden Skip. A quick search shows that across the UK water companies lose around 25% of their water through leaky pipes! So what's the point in me conserving a tiny bit of water (turn off tap when washing my teeth, fitting a different shower head that outputs less water, etc) when the water that reaches me has already decreased by a quarter due to their rubbish pipes?! The water companies need to start sorting this, especially when you think of the drought that occurred at the beginning of last year, particularly in the south east, due to lack of reservoirs with the increasing population. My contribution pales into insignificance compared to the water companies pulling their fingers out and fixing their infrastructure.

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