Water and Sewerage Bills 2001- 02
This leaflet sets out the expected levels of household bills in the year beginning 1 April 2001.
How will the average household bill change on 1 April 2001?
Tables 1 and 2 show the annual average household bills for water and sewerage for 2000-01 and 2001-02. The tables also show the percentage difference between the two years (including and excluding inflation) and the percentage increase (excluding inflation) in bills between April 1989 and March 2002.
The annual average household bill includes all customers, with or without a meter. Most households (80%) do not have a meter and their bills are generally based on the rateable value of their property, plus (usually) a fixed charge. Households with a meter pay in relation to the volume of water they use, plus a standing charge.
How are changes in average bills determined?
The annual change that companies can make to bills is limited to the price limit set by Ofwat, plus inflation. Table 3 sets out the price limits for the year beginning 1 April 2001.
Will my bill change in line with the price limit set by Ofwat?
This price limit applies to the average change in charges. Bills for some customers may change by more and some by less than this average. For example, a company may increase water charges by less than sewerage charges, or increase the volumetric charge by more than the standing charge. All these individual charges are set out in the companies' charges schemes.
What are the companies' charges schemes?
Within the price limit set, each company is responsible for deciding individual charges. These are published annually in a charges scheme. Each company must obtain Ofwat's approval for its charges scheme. The principles Ofwat has followed in approving charges schemes are: - Charges for each service should reflect the cost of that service - this has meant, for example, that for water and sewerage companies the change in water charges is not always the same as the change in sewerage charges;
- Companies should set levels of measured and unmeasured household charges to ensure a fair balance of charges for each category of customer;
- Standing charges for customers with a meter should generally not be more than the customer-related costs of providing a metered service; and
- Companies should offer lower sewerage charges (rebates) for customers whose properties are not connected for surface water to the company's sewers.
The Director has also taken account of and had regard to the guidance, issued by the Secretary of State in February 2000, on social and environmental aspects of charging.
In line with government requirements, companies must also offer a special tariff for vulnerable low-income metered customers. This has meant that charges for all other customers are slightly higher than they would otherwise have been.
Companies are also required to install on request a meter free of charge for households where this can be done at reasonable expense.
Table 1:
2001- 02 Average household bills for water |
In April 2001, household customers will see an average reduction to their water bills of 1.2% (excluding inflation).
Since privatisation in 1989, average household bills for water have increased by 18.9% (excluding inflation).
| % change in bills |  | | Average bill for 2 | |
| 1989-90 - 2001-02 | 2000-01 - 2001-02 | | 2000-01 | 2001-02 |
| (excluding | (excluding | (including | £ | £ |
| inflation) 1,2 | inflation) 1,2 | inflation) 2,3 | | |
| WATER AND SEWERAGE COMPANIES | | | | | |
| Anglian Water Services Ltd | 8.2 | -1.9 | 1.3 | 108 | 110 |
| Dwr Cymru Cyfyngedig | 2.8 | -4.2 | -1.1 | 125 | 123 |
| United Utilities Water plc | 31.9 | -0.9 | 2.4 | 104 | 107 |
| Northumbrian Water Ltd: | | | | | |
Northumbrian Water Ltd | 6.0 | -3.3 | -0.2 | 88 | 88 |
Essex & Suffolk Water plc | 23.0 | 0.6 | 3.8 | 108 | 112 |
| Severn Trent Water Ltd | 46.0 | -1.3 | 1.9 | 106 | 108 |
| South West Water Ltd | 12.0 | -1.0 | 2.3 | 108 | 110 |
| Southern Water Services Ltd | 14.8 | -2.9 | 0.2 | 91 | 91 |
| Thames Water Utilities Ltd | 21.7 | -0.6 | 2.6 | 97 | 99 |
| Wessex Water Services Ltd | 15.6 | -1.4 | 1.8 | 110 | 112 |
| Yorkshire Water Services Ltd: | | | | | |
Yorkshire Water Services Ltd | 3.9 | -0.8 | 2.4 | 100 | 103 |
| York Waterworks Ltd | 8.2 | -1.8 | 1.4 | 89 | 90 |
| WATER ONLY COMPANIES | | | | | |
| Bournemouth & West Hampshire Water plc | 22.1 | -1.2 | 2.0 | 96 | 98 |
| Bristol Water plc | 12.6 | 0.6 | 3.9 | 101 | 105 |
| Cambridge Water plc | 0.1 | -1.2 | 2.0 | 85 | 87 |
| Dee Valley Water plc | -4.9 | -3.6 | -0.4 | 106 | 106 |
| Folkestone & Dover Water Services Ltd | 42.0 | 1.8 | 5.1 | 118 | 125 |
| Mid Kent Water plc | 3.7 | 3.5 | 6.9 | 115 | 123 |
| Portsmouth Water plc | 6.0 | -1.9 | 1.3 | 74 | 75 |
| South East Water plc | 2.0 | -4.5 | -1.4 | 116 | 114 |
| South Staffordshire Water plc | 17.8 | -0.6 | 2.6 | 84 | 86 |
| Sutton & East Surrey Water plc | 9.6 | 2.1 | 5.4 | 114 | 120 |
Tendring Hundred Water Services Ltd | 54.1 | 2.1 | 5.4 | 135 | 142 |
| Three Valleys Water plc: | | | | | |
Three Valleys Water plc | 22.5 | 0.6 | 3.9 | 107 | 111 |
North Surrey Water Ltd | 51.7 | -1.0 | 2.3 | 109 | 111 |
| INDUSTRY AVERAGE | 18.9 | -1.2 | 1.9 | 103 | 105 |
| | | | | |
1. Percentage increases exclude the effect of inflation. Inflation, as measured by RPI (Retail
Price Index), increased by 56.5% between November 1988 and November 2000 and 3.24% between November 1999 and November 2000.
2. Percentage changes and level of bills for 2000-01 and 2001-02 are estimates based
on provisional and forecast data provided by each company.
3. Percentage changes between 2000-01 and 2001-02 may not calculate due to
rounding of the 2000-01 and 2001-02 average household bill. |
Table 2:
2001- 02 Average household bills for sewerage
In April 2001, household customers will see an average reduction to their sewerage bills of 0.7% (excluding inflation).
Since privatisation in 1989, average household bills for sewerage have increased by 20.1% (excluding inflation).
COMPANY | % change in bills | | | Average bill for 2 | |
| 1989-90 - 2001-02 | 2000-01 - 2001-02 | | 2000-01 | 2001-02 |
| (excluding | (excluding | (including | £ | £ |
| inflation) 1,2 | inflation) 1,2 | inflation) 2,3 | | |
| WATER AND SEWERAGE COMPANIES | | | | | |
| Anglian Water Services Ltd | 4.9 | 0.5 | 3.7 | 146 | 151 |
| Dwr Cymru Cyfyngedig | 30.5 | 2.0 | 5.3 | 139 | 147 |
| United Utilities Water plc | 31.5 | -2.4 | 0.7 | 121 | 122 |
| Northumbrian Water Ltd | 30.6 | -1.4 | 1.8 | 110 | 112 |
| Severn Trent Water Ltd | 2.4 | -0.7 | 2.5 | 93 | 95 |
| South West Water Ltd | 55.0 | -2.3 | 0.8 | 201 | 203 |
| Southern Water Services Ltd | 32.6 | 0.5 | 3.7 | 147 | 153 |
| Thames Water Utilities Ltd | 22.6 | -0.5 | 2.8 | 92 | 95 |
| Wessex Water Services Ltd | 10.2 | -2.4 | 0.8 | 132 | 133 |
| Yorkshire Water Services Ltd | 19.4 | -1.3 | 1.9 | 110 | 112 |
| INDUSTRY AVERAGE | 20.1 | -0.7 | 2.6 | 116 | 119 |
| | | | | |
| 1 Percentage increases exclude the effect of inflation. Inflation, as measured by RPI (Retail Price Index), increased by 56.5% between November 1988 and November 2000 and 3.24% between November 1999 and November 2000.
2 Percentage changes and level of bills for 2000-01 and 2001-02 are estimates based on provisional and forecast data provided by each company.
3 Percentage changes between 2000-01 and 2001-02 may not calculate due to rounding of the 2000-01 and 2001-02 average household bill. |
HOUSEHOLD BILLS 2001- 02
AVERAGE UNMEASURED
Water £110
Sewerage £123
Total £233
Change of -0.4% (excluding inflation) and 2.8% (including inflation) over last year.
AVERAGE MEASURED
Water £89
Sewerage £105
Total £194
Change of -0.9% (excluding inflation) and 2.3% (including inflation) over last year.
In 2000-01 approximately 20% of households were on metered charges.
This is expected to rise to 22% by the end of the year. |
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