It's like banging your head against a wall.....

melbury

Just received water bill for the last six months and although we have managed to cut usage down by about a third compared to this time last year, the bill is nearly the same!! It is just so frustrating, you make every effort you can to try and get your bills down, but you just can't win because the price increases just eat any savings up.

oldwiring

I think some of the problem is that the Water Cos are allowed to increase by a %age over inflation for a period of 5 years to allow upgradings. I think we are in year 2 now of that period. There are a number of web articles about the subject. You may be able to find any that refer to your co(s) or the company websites may have info.

Ken68

Don't know if Anglia Water are the only board to push low usage, but am now on SOLOW tariff, at their suggestion.
Much reduced charges if consumption is less than 75 cu.metres a year.
Not for everyone, Melbury, but I catch the washing machine water and use it to flush the loo, and filtered rainwater otherwise.

Cardew

Much of our sewerage and water supply is Victorian. For many years prior to Privatisation the Government/Local Authorities were not prepared to spend the necessary money on the infrastructure for scheduled repair and maintenance; in short it was neglected.

The Government sold off ‘Water’ to private companies in the full knowledge that £Billions would be required to modernise and that the public would pick up the bill, and largely blame the water companies for the inevitable huge increases in charges.

You cannot blame the water companies for attempting to maximise their profits; that’s the aim of all private companies with shareholders. The Government have the final control of the prices, and hence profit margin, of the water companies through their regulating authorities.

Although it is easy to blame high prices on the excess profits companies are allowed to make, I did read that if these companies made zero profit it would not have a significant effect on our bills.