Severn Trent 2025/26 Increase

benny5

Just received my 2025/26 bill.  

Comparing the increases on the various element that comprise the total it would appear that, in my case (metered) at least, they have hiked up my total by 35%. Some elements have been much greater i.e. Water supply 43%, Wastewater standing charge 52%.

EL_Gringo13

Our Severn Trent Chester bill is now £113 per month. On their breakdown it says that they base this on £411 per year for fresh water and £718 per year for waste water, surface water and highway drainage. We've asked to go on a meter, but I don't know how they can calculate surface water and highway drainage, surely that depends on how much it rains over the year? I really hope we see some savings with the water meter,  because their charges are scandalous. 

MattMattMattUK

EL_Gringo13 said:

Our Severn Trent Chester bill is now £113 per month. On their breakdown it says that they base this on £411 per year for fresh water and £718 per year for waste water, surface water and highway drainage. We've asked to go on a meter, but I don't know how they can calculate surface water and highway drainage, surely that depends on how much it rains over the year?

The methodology is on the Ofwat website if you want to look at it.

EL_Gringo13 said:

I really hope we see some savings with the water meter,  

You will likely see your bills more than halve, unless you use an incredibly large amount of water you will likely see a reduction of between 50% and 75%. 

EL_Gringo13 said:

because their charges are scandalous. 

Something is not "scandalous" because you do not understand it.

EL_Gringo13

MattMattMattUK said:

EL_Gringo13 said:

Our Severn Trent Chester bill is now £113 per month. On their breakdown it says that they base this on £411 per year for fresh water and £718 per year for waste water, surface water and highway drainage. We've asked to go on a meter, but I don't know how they can calculate surface water and highway drainage, surely that depends on how much it rains over the year?

The methodology is on the Ofwat website if you want to look at it.

EL_Gringo13 said:

I really hope we see some savings with the water meter,  

You will likely see your bills more than halve, unless you use an incredibly large amount of water you will likely see a reduction of between 50% and 75%. 

EL_Gringo13 said:

because their charges are scandalous. 

Something is not "scandalous" because you do not understand it.

Thank you for your responses, even the sarcastic one. The use of the word scandalous is in reference to morally reprehensible practice within the infrastructure. For example, hiking the costs to cover dividends to investors and pumping our rivers and lakes full of sewage. 

casjen

My ST assessed single(semi detached house) went from 14.21 to 14.68 so huge sigh of relief.. They cudnt fit meter due to state of piping around stopcock (their words).. But it turns okay for me..

MattMattMattUK

EL_Gringo13 said:

MattMattMattUK said:

EL_Gringo13 said:

Our Severn Trent Chester bill is now £113 per month. On their breakdown it says that they base this on £411 per year for fresh water and £718 per year for waste water, surface water and highway drainage. We've asked to go on a meter, but I don't know how they can calculate surface water and highway drainage, surely that depends on how much it rains over the year?

The methodology is on the Ofwat website if you want to look at it.

EL_Gringo13 said:

I really hope we see some savings with the water meter,  

You will likely see your bills more than halve, unless you use an incredibly large amount of water you will likely see a reduction of between 50% and 75%. 

EL_Gringo13 said:

because their charges are scandalous. 

Something is not "scandalous" because you do not understand it.

Thank you for your responses, even the sarcastic one. The use of the word scandalous is in reference to morally reprehensible practice within the infrastructure. For example, hiking the costs to cover dividends to investors and pumping our rivers and lakes full of sewage. 

Dividends have been slashed, water suppliers have been fined millions for pollution, although I personally think that the fines should be larger and the suppliers should be prohibited from paying dividends whilst they continue to ocour.

As for "hiking the costs", the issue is that we have hugely underinvested in the water supply network for decades, it needs a lot of money spent on it to bring it up to where it needs to be. Yes privatisation has not helped, but the reality is that water bills have been far too low ever since privatisation, investment has been too low because of that and an additional 5% a year has come off the top because of dividend payments. Much the same as our energy infrastructure, chronic underinvestment for decades has created a situation where we can now no longer put of increasing investment or parts of the network will start to fail, so bills need to rise. This is also the same for the country in general, where older generations voted for lower taxes, increased government borrowing and infrastructure wear out, the burden of fixing that now falls on their children and grandchildren, but hey, they had low taxes for a few decades so it is all good...

Robin9

EL_Gringo13 said:

Our Severn Trent Chester bill is now £113 per month. On their breakdown it says that they base this on £411 per year for fresh water and £718 per year for waste water, surface water and highway drainage. We've asked to go on a meter, but I don't know how they can calculate surface water and highway drainage, surely that depends on how much it rains over the year? I really hope we see some savings with the water meter,  because their charges are scandalous. 

That £113 is similar to my neighbours (unmetered)      Mine (metered) is £45.  

I don't find it scandalous but I get all the water I need, on tap, for drinking, washing, toilets   for £1.50 a day.   To me that's good value -  but I do support the action to reduce the discharges into rivers.

It may be subconscious but now I am aware of what I use I do use less -  my consumption has dropped by over 10% in the last few years

bytheshortandcurlys

MattMattMattUK said:

4justice2 said:

At the rate it's going I'll soon be paying more Water Rates than Council Tax!

The average water bill is around £45 per month, the average council tax bill is around £220 per month, so no.

my Thames Water bill is now £1747, so yes it will be the same as Council tax at this rate!
This is non-metered, RV 417, Council tax band D, 4 people in 3 bed semi.
It has increased £466 for this year!
Yes I've requested a meter now.
No I haven't before because the advice is usually and still on this website
'If there are more bedrooms in your home than people, or the same number, check out getting a meter.'
So according to that advice there is a gamble in getting a meter.
Yes I know what the average bill is supposed to be, but those averages are distorted, just like the supposed average energy bills.  But I now feel Thames Water are taking the mickey for unmetered bills.

MattMattMattUK

bytheshortandcurlys said:

MattMattMattUK said:

4justice2 said:

At the rate it's going I'll soon be paying more Water Rates than Council Tax!

The average water bill is around £45 per month, the average council tax bill is around £220 per month, so no.

my Thames Water bill is now £1747, so yes it will be the same as Council tax at this rate!
This is non-metered, RV 417, Council tax band D, 4 people in 3 bed semi.
It has increased £466 for this year!
Yes I've requested a meter now.
No I haven't before because the advice is usually and still on this website
'If there are more bedrooms in your home than people, or the same number, check out getting a meter.'
So according to that advice there is a gamble in getting a meter.
Yes I know what the average bill is supposed to be, but those averages are distorted, just like the supposed average energy bills.  But I now feel Thames Water are taking the mickey for unmetered bills.

The increase this time is an average percentage, but metered customers are seeing much less and unmetered (and especially rateable) are having higher than average orders, with the headline average figure falling in the middle. This is because the government and regulator want everyone to move to metered supply, although the suppliers would rather people stay on unmetered as they make a higher profit on that.

e_boz

I live in a 4 bed house, 2 occupants, my DD has risen from £34.36 to £59.45 a month - can this be correct?