Water utilities throughout England and Wales are requesting an increase in bills beyond their initial proposals, with one provider aiming for a staggering 84% rise.
Thames Water, the largest water provider in the UK, is now advocating for a 53% increase, which would elevate annual costs to £667 by the fiscal year 2029/30, as reported by the water regulatory authority Ofwat.
If approved, this would result in the highest water bills in the nation.
The most significant increase of 84% is being sought by Southern Water.
Among the eleven water and wastewater companies in England and Wales, only one utility, Wessex Water, is not pursuing a higher billing request than originally filed with the regulator in July.
Ofwat is set to announce its final verdict on the allowable water bill increases on December 19. An interim ruling issued in July indicated an average potential rise of 21% annually.
On average, these companies want to raise rates by 40%, resulting in annual costs of £615 by 2030, compared to the present average fee of £439 a year.
This increase coincides with the government’s announcement of heightened regulations on companies and the fact that three firms received substantial penalties amounting to hundreds of millions from Ofwat. The companies have attributed the necessity for these increased charges to the new regulatory requirements.
This developing news story is being continually updated, with additional details forthcoming.
Please refresh the page to access the most comprehensive version.
Stay informed on breaking news through the Sky News app on your smartphone or tablet. You can also follow @SkyNews on X or subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest updates.