Water bill!

[Buckman]

We are with Severn Trent and our latest bill seem to have jumped up a bit with costs. Between 2018 and 2022 the bill has been about the same each year. However last year it increased, but this year it has increased by over £100 from 2022 so a big jump in price. Consumption is about the same although slightly less. Has your water bill also increased quite a bit from 2022 or is it just us?

 

[otherclive]

Yes ours has gone up. We are with Wessex Water, one of the better ones but they are installing new infrastructure to better cope with heavy rainfall, and I believe a water interconnection between Dorset area in the south and areas in the north like parts of Wiltshire. This will help better distribute the water between their overall area.

Given what we see in the news and papers we can all expect higher bills as there has to be a big programme of works to clean up and prevent sewage discharges into rivers and the sea. Where we last lived Wessex installed a large underground catchment tank under the town cricket pitch/park. . When the works had finished you would have no idea what had been built under the cricket pitch.

 

[Bluetonic]

Also with Seven Trent, yes bills have rocketed this year.

They are probably charging us for all the gas central heating boilers and gas hobs they had to replace in Ratby and Kirby Muxloe when their water main (which they had supposedly repaired) exploded, blew a hole in the gas main and filled the network with water.
We had to have our 8 month old boiler replaced due to water ingress, our next door neighbour had their 26 year old bolier replaced too. If only our boiler had hung on another few months 😢

 

[RogerL]

We have a hybrid water billing system - we get water from South Staffs Water, a small private company and sewage goes to Severn Trent - so the sewage part of our bill will no doubt go up if Severn Trent are increasing their charges.

 

[Buckman]

An increase of over 34% in two years is quite substantial. Guess they have to keep the shareholders happy so we can get our pensions!

 

[Beachball]

We have experienced the same issue with our water supplier, like other areas this is a reflection of the present monetary climate.

 

[Buckman]

I must admit that I am a bit naughty about paying the water bill which you get in the middle of Oct or April and leave it until they send a reminder.

 

[Buckman]

It seems that we are not the only ones disagreeing with costs. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce9gve1grjmo

 

[otherclive]

It seems that we are not the only ones disagreeing with costs. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce9gve1grjmo

It’s a problem that has been kicked into the long grass for far too long, whether it be renewal of supply mains, or the atrocious performance wrt sewage discharges. We cut back last summer on the number of containers requiring to be watered, whilst our neighbour happily continues to use long running sprinklers on his lawns and borders, even when rain is forecast. But they aren’t on a meter.

 

[Buckman]

Annoyingly you have to pay for rainwater runoff even if you have huge water barrels for the rain water.

 

[Dustydog]

Annoyingly you have to pay for rainwater runoff even if you have huge water barrels for the rain water.

I’m shocked.
Last year Thames water were offering incentives on new builds which incorporated rainwater collection devices.
Checking T W they say this. Is that what you mean?

Surface water drainage is charged as part of your wastewater services. Most households need to pay this charge, including buildings with a shared roof such as flats or apartments. In most cases, the rain that falls on your roof, driveway and other parts of your property will drain away into one of our public sewers.

 

[otherclive]

I’m shocked.
Last year Thames water were offering incentives on new builds which incorporated rainwater collection devices.
Checking T W they say this. Is that what you mean?

Surface water drainage is charged as part of your wastewater services. Most households need to pay this charge, including buildings with a shared roof such as flats or apartments. In most cases, the rain that falls on your roof, driveway and other parts of your property will drain away into one of our public sewers.

I guess in terms of totals the rainwater collection devices collect a relatively small proportion of what falls even on a roof. I removed my water butts (3) as in dry periods I quickly got through their contents. So now I’ve reduced the number of containers for plants, and since remaking the garden borders I’ve planted more drought resistant plants. And it’s never stopped raining since ! You cannot win whatever.

 

[Buckman]

I’m shocked.
Last year Thames water were offering incentives on new builds which incorporated rainwater collection devices.
Checking T W they say this. Is that what you mean?

Surface water drainage is charged as part of your wastewater services. Most households need to pay this charge, including buildings with a shared roof such as flats or apartments. In most cases, the rain that falls on your roof, driveway and other parts of your property will drain away into one of our public sewers.

That is correct.

 

[Devonisheaven]

That is correct.

We got a reduction due to surface water going to soak away.

 

[Slowtow]

Has anyone noticed that water companies refuse to acknowledge that it is the very fresh water we pay for that is then used to keep their underground rivers(sewers) running?
Without our water they do not have a functioning sewer (No sewer no business)
Some years back I had a discussion with a lady at 'South East Water' when I reported their bill was wilfully inaccurate.
When she asked why was that? I explained that not all the water coming in our property goes out through the same waste pipes yet I am being billed as if it is.
She asked me to expand on my point so I gave her one example; which was during the summer months especially I fill my drinking water bottles for work which are consumed at other peoples properties to which I then urinate down that persons toilet on many occasions.
It wasn't long after this conversation that 'Southern Water' billing was altered from 100% waste water outlet billing to 93.3333%.(or something like that)
How on earth they came to that number only they can explain. This is one of reasons for enjoying using caravan sites throughout the year knowing whilst I am there our water meter back home is doing sod all.

 

[otherclive]

When we lived in Cumbria a neighbour installed a mini water wheel in the run off from a spring. He used it to generate a minuscule amount of electricity. He had to pay increased charges even though he used no water as what went in came out the other side. Apart probably from a minuscule amount possibly to increased evaporation.

 

[Buckman]

When we lived in Cumbria a neighbour installed a mini water wheel in the run off from a spring. He used it to generate a minuscule amount of electricity. He had to pay increased charges even though he used no water as what went in came out the other side. Apart probably from a minuscule amount possibly to increased evaporation.

If you have own borehole and waste water does not enter the system. i.e. totally self contained you still need to pay for the water coming out the borehole as that water belongs to the utility!

In SA zero charge for a borehole and you could sell the water. When we had a severe drought in about 1981 and water was rationed, an enterprising friend of ours hired a water tanker, drove to the nearest river with water, filled up and sold the water to people with swimming pools. Swimming pools can crack if no water and if you have a heavy rain, an empty swimming pool will lift out of the ground. He made a lot of money in the space of several months before the rains came.

 

[Sam Vimes]

Certainly on Skye and probably the rest of the Highlands bore holes and private water supplies aren't subject to any charges by Scottish Water.

 

[Dustydog]

I thought water bore holes were owned by the land owner and do feature on the deeds. Some Local Authorities may issue the Owner with. Licence if more than 20k litres are extracted per annum.
Not sure how the water Authority can claim ownership?
But if the land owner is pouring “ their “ water down the drains including sewers I’d expect a charge for such disposal.

 

[Buckman]

I thought water bore holes were owned by the land owner and do feature on the deeds. Some Local Authorities may issue the Owner with. Licence if more than 20k litres are extracted per annum.
Not sure how the water Authority can claim ownership?
But if the land owner is pouring “ their “ water down the drains including sewers I’d expect a charge for such disposal.

No issue with borehole, it is the water extracted from the borehole that supposedly belongs to the water utility?

 

[Dustydog]

No issue with borehole, it is the water extracted from the borehole that supposedly belongs to the water utility?

As far as I have read, no. There is no legislation I have seen that says so.
.Sewerage is chargeable.
Have you read something we haven’t?

 

[Buckman]

As far as I have read, no. There is no legislation I have seen that says so.
.Sewerage is chargeable.
Have you read something we haven’t?

Maybe only applies to Severn Trent area? Maybe I am getting mixed with the the volume you can use. According to one site. It depends on how much water you think you’ll need! A private land holder can draw 20,000 litres per day from a water well without an abstraction licence, that’s equal to 133 full baths or around 11,429 pints of beer.

 

[otherclive]

I thought water bore holes were owned by the land owner and do feature on the deeds. Some Local Authorities may issue the Owner with. Licence if more than 20k litres are extracted per annum.
Not sure how the water Authority can claim ownership?
But if the land owner is pouring “ their “ water down the drains including sewers I’d expect a charge for such disposal.

When we lived in Devon we had a well and there were no requirements to pay for water extracted. It was shown on the deeds. We didn’t use it as it had a large slate cover over the top, and a car was normally parked atop it.

 

[Dustydog]

Maybe only applies to Severn Trent area? Maybe I am getting mixed with the the volume you can use. According to one site. It depends on how much water you think you’ll need! A private land holder can draw 20,000 litres per day from a water well without an abstraction licence, that’s equal to 133 full baths or around 11,429 pints of beer.

See #19. Local Authority I take to mean the Local Council. Maybe worth asking ST?

 

[Dustydog]

We didn’t use it as it had a large slate cover over the top, and a car was normally parked atop it.

The ultimate drip tray 😜