Ofwat proposes £3.4bn water bill increase for five companies
Ofwat has proposed a £3.4 billion increase in water bills for five water companies, which would raise customer bills if approved.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Water bills could rise by an extra £3.4 billion for customers of five water companies under new proposals from the regulator Ofwat. The plans, which are still at consultation stage, would see bills increase for customers of Severn Trent, Southern Water, Thames Water, Wessex Water and South East Water. Ofwat says the money would be invested in infrastructure to cope with rising demand and to ensure drinking water is safe. But the proposals have angered customers and environmental groups, who point to ongoing problems with leaks and sewage discharges. The Prime Minister has also spoken out against the increase, saying it would hit family budgets during a cost of living crisis. A consultation is now under way, with a final decision expected before December. The announcement comes as many parts of the UK face hosepipe bans and concerns about pollution in rivers and lakes. Earlier this year, it was revealed that all of England's rivers and lakes are polluted in some way by chemicals. Customers have also been angered by news that Thames Water paid its finance chief £1 million just for taking on the role. Ofwat has said it will monitor the companies and could reclaim money if they fail to deliver on their promises.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 |
|---|---|
| Ofwat proposed an extra £3.4 billion in water bill increases for Severn Trent, Southern Water, Thames Water, Wessex Water and South East Water. | |
| The Prime Minister opposed the proposal, saying it would hit family budgets. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
This channel focused on the negative public reaction to the proposed bill increases, highlighting customer anger, the context of hosepipe bans and river pollution, and the controversy over Thames Water's executive pay. The tone was critical of the water companies and sympathetic to households already struggling with the cost of living.
- “It's going down pretty badly, as you imagine.”
- “Our bills have gone up and up and up for the exact reason of maintaining that infrastructure, yet we haven't seen that.”
- “He says it's real money out of family budgets at a time when they are struggling with the cost of living.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.