Water Meter £50 a month, a dam Joke

suemagoo

carol_a wrote: »

I am on South west water too, just got my bill for next year...£777.62 just me on my own with two teenage children.

Daylight robbery. it says they cater for 1.6 million residents and 8 million visitors per annum!! I think the visitors should help out with our bills to clean the beaches etc.

Thats cheap we are paying 1200 pounds a year on a water meter does any one want mine !! For two people

Cardew

suemagoo wrote: »

Thats cheap we are paying 1200 pounds a year on a water meter does any one want mine !! For two people

I assume you are with SW Water? - the most expensive in UK.

For 2009/10 SW water charge £4.45 per cubic metre for combined water and sewerage - assuming you are paying for Surface water drainage (it would be less if you have a soakaway) + approx £60 standing charges.

By my calculations that means that you are using approx 260 cubic metres a year, which is well over double the UK average for a couple.(appox 60 per person per year)

Are you sure you haven't got a leak?

bluewire

This statement is 100% true...
2. "It is self evident that if the 70% who stand to gain go on a meter, and pay less, then revenue will fall and that tariffs will increase for everyone to make up that lost revenue."

Just take a look at UU this year.

They announce that the average water bill has gone up by just 5.6% (ish) but when you have a look at all the charges you will see that all charges went but by no less than 7%.

How can this be????
Well UU only look at the amount of CASH that they get in each year against the number of customers.
If usage and charges drop (due to people moving from a high RV charge to a meter) then so does the income per account.

This then allows them to increase all bills by +7% and only announce a 5.6% rise.

OFWAT allow them to do this which shows whilst they do have some sharp teeth some are missing which allows this to happen.:mad:

Cardew

bluewire wrote: »

This statement is 100% true...
2. "It is self evident that if the 70% who stand to gain go on a meter, and pay less, then revenue will fall and that tariffs will increase for everyone to make up that lost revenue."

Just take a look at UU this year.

They announce that the average water bill has gone up by just 5.6% (ish) but when you have a look at all the charges you will see that all charges went but by no less than 7%.

How can this be????
Well UU only look at the amount of CASH that they get in each year against the number of customers.
If usage and charges drop (due to people moving from a high RV charge to a meter) then so does the income per account.

This then allows them to increase all bills by +7% and only announce a 5.6% rise.

OFWAT allow them to do this which shows whilst they do have some sharp teeth some are missing which allows this to happen.:mad:

That is how the Water industry is stuctured.

The companies submit their costs(including profit margin) to the Regulator and provided that figure is approved, charges will be set to raise that figure.

The companies are in a win/win position.

If compulsory metering is introduced, those of us on meters will undoubtedly pay extra in the short term.

In the longer term the reduced demand for water(metered customers use far less) wil(should) work in everyone's favour.