Here’s how much the cost of water bills in Sussex are changing by

The county is served by Southern Water, South East Water and Portsmouth Water.

Southern Water has announced its average combined water and wastewater treatment bill is set to fall by 1.3 per cent or £5 a year in 2022/23.

The utility company says a typical combined bill per household is now expected to be £401.54 compared with an average charge of £406.91 for 2021/22.

Meanwhile Portsmouth Water will be increasing its bills by an average of 6.1 per cent effective from the start of July.

Atypical annual household water bill will be £109 which it says will still be ‘considerably lower’ than any other water company.

South East Water did not announce how much its bills would be changing by, but simply said the average household would pay £221 a year for their tap water supply from April.

However figures from Discover Water suggest this is increasing from £214 for the current year, equating to a 3.3 per cent rise.

Southern Water

Southern Water says it has invested its largest amount on record this year with £610 million spent to improve its assets and network, drive down leakage and pollution, protect the environment and prepare for the challenges of climate change.

Support offered includes payment holidays, special tariffs, debt write-offs, bill reductions and grants for household items. The company also offers support and extra care help for those living with long-term illness, disability, the elderly and even new parents or parents with young children.

Katy Taylor, chief customer officer at Southern Water, said: “If you’re finding it hard to pay your bills due to the surging costs-of-living or for any other reason, our message is: ‘Please get in touch with us as we can help’.”

Southern Water currently provides over 126,000 customers with some form of financial assistance, an increase of 21,000 since the start of the pandemic. Last year it provided more than £12.5 million worth of support.

South East Water

South East Water has confirmed the average household will pay £221 a year or 60 pence a day for their tap water supply from April 1.

The company says it will be investing around £112 million from April 22 to March 23 to continue improving the service it gives to its customers.

Over the past two years, support has been increased to customers who may be struggling to pay their water bill.

South East Water is working with local councils to share data to identify households on a low income. Those who are eligible for the company’s social tariff, which caps the cost of tap water and waste water, are being automatically transferred to the tariff without a need to apply. South East Water is looking to work in partnership with more councils to support customers that are struggling to pay their bills.

Other initiatives include an on-going payment holiday scheme and access to virtual debt advisers as part of a free arrangement developed with the Money and Pension Service. Further support is then given through the company’s new breathing space scheme.

Tanya Sephton, South East Water’s customer Services director, said: “It has undoubtedly been a very tough couple of years for everyone and we are working hard to get initiatives such as our data sharing programme in place quickly to make sure help is given where it is needed most, without our customers needing to ask.

“We believe we are the first water company to work in partnership with local councils, to help identify our customers who may need a helping hand with their water bill.

“Our average bill works out at 60 pence per day for all the water supplied to the home for drinking, cooking, cleaning, gardening and of course the extra hygiene we know is so important at this time.

“We really do encourage anyone worried about their bill to contact us as soon as possible and we’ll help find the right options for them. This could be advice and water saving devices to help reduce water usage, or finding the right tariff for their circumstances.”

To sign-up for the company’s Priority Services Register which is available for customers with medical conditions, restricted mobility, additional needs, sight and hearing issues who may need some extra support during a water supply emergency contact the Customer Care team on 0333 000 2468 or go to southeastwater.co.uk/priority

Portsmouth Water

Portsmouth Water CEO Bob Taylor stated: “We fully recognise that this is a large increase driven mainly by current high levels of inflation and we have worked hard to keep the increase in our bills to a minimum. Despite the increase, we will still be delivering the lowest water bills in England and Wales by some margin - equivalent to a cost of around 30p a day for delivering industry leading customer service aligned with high quality, safe and secure drinking water each and every day.

“The increase is also needed to enable us to further enhance our service to customers and allow us to continue investing in our assets, such as our network of water pipes and treatment works. 2022 will see over £23 million invested in improving our infrastructure, so we can continue to deliver the industry leading performance that our customers have come to expect.

“The £23 million is part of a five-year £83 million investment programme, directly benefitting customers. Our flagship Havant Thicket Reservoir project will continue to be funded by Southern Water and will not be paid for by Portsmouth Water customers as part of this price increase.”

Mr Taylor added: “We are very mindful of the current economic pressures on household incomes, especially for the more vulnerable members of our society. As a result, we will be continuing to offer strong support to our customers who are struggling to pay, asking them to contact us at the earliest opportunity so we can advise and help wherever we can.

This support includes offering payment holidays, affordable instalment plans and other forms of tailored support.

“In 2016, we introduced our ‘Helping Hand Tariff’, which is specifically designed to help households with an overall income lower than the Government’s low-income threshold (currently £17,005). This caps the water bill at our minimum charge (from 1st July this will be £82.73 for the year). So far, more than 9,000 customers have taken advantage of this tariff.”

As well as increasing investment the company says it will maintain its industry-leading’ performance in leakage reduction, promote biodiversity on its landholdings, continue to promote household water efficiency, ensure customers who need special help during operational challenges are listed on a priority services register and continue the development of the Havant Thicket winter storage reservoir.

‘Make support a top priority’

With energy bills set to soar, inflation increasing and a rise in National Insurance due in April there are real fears about the impact of a cost of living crisis.

Regulator Ofwat has called on water companies to make providing support for customers struggling to pay a top priority.

David Black, Ofwat interim chief executive, said: “Many households are worried about their bills, and we expect water companies to play their part in supporting customers. Our research shows that only 15 per cent of customers know about the financial help available to them, and just three per cent are actually getting financial support from their water company.

“Those who are struggling need to know that there is help available. Offering a helping hand to those who need it must be a top priority for water companies and we want to see them being proactive, creative and supportive for their customers. If customers are worried, they should talk to their water company, affordability charities, or CCW [Consumer Council for Water].

“But this isn’t just about the bills. Companies need to demonstrate they are providing great value with excellent service to customers while at the same time caring for our environment, responding to the real concern about their impact on our rivers. Customers are looking for more from their water company and they should rise to meet those expectations.”

Emma Clancy, Chief Executive of CCW – the voice for water consumers, said: “Any increase in water bills will be unwelcome for the millions of households already buckling under the pressure of other rising costs. Covid-19 has also made it even harder for people to anticipate how much water they will use at home – that’s why it’s vital customers take advantage of untapped support.”

“Some households could potentially save hundreds of pounds by switching to a water meter, while others on a low income may be eligible for water companies’ wide range of assistance schemes. Simple steps to reduce your hot water use could also take some of the heat out of rising energy costs.”

Christine McGourty, CEO of Water UK, added: “Customers will continue to pay little more than £1 a day for their water and sewerage service, helping to directly fund significant investment in improving infrastructure and enhancing the environment.

“But we know this is a difficult time for many, and no-one should have to worry about their household essentials. There is a wide range of support available for those in need, and I would urge anyone who’s concerned to get in touch with their water company.”