Beat the squeeze - Top tips to cut your water bill
20 February 2009
The water industry regulator Ofwat announced recently that bills are set to rise this year by an average of 4.1 per cent including inflation, bringing the average water and sewerage bill up to £342 a year. Amid rising water costs and a difficult economic climate, the Consumer Council for Water wants to make sure that customers know how they can make savings on their water bills.
The first thing customers can do is check if they would save money by having a meter fitted. A calculator to help customers work out how much they would pay on a metered charge is available on the Consumer Council for Water’s website to help.
A single person living alone in a property with an average rateable value might save around £100 a year by having a meter installed. Water companies install meters for free and customers can switch back to the unmetered charge within 12 months if they are unhappy with the change. If a meter cannot be fitted companies can offer an alternative unmeasured tariff which may be lower than the current bill.
Customers who already have a meter can cut their bill by taking simple steps to avoid wasting water. Fixing dripping taps, installing a water saving device in toilets or more water efficient appliances, taking showers rather than baths and collecting rainwater for use in the garden are all great ways to be more water efficient.
Around a quarter of a household’s energy bill comes from heating water, for example, in baths or showers, or for washing clothes or dishes. By reducing water wastage, families should also see a reduction in their energy bills.
Customers who have a meter and three children under 18, or a medical condition that means they need to use more water, are eligible for help under the WaterSure scheme if they also receive income related benefits. WaterSure caps a household’s water bill at the average rate for their area so vulnerable households can use the water they need without having to worry about a high bill. A low income household of five with a water meter could be spending around £700 per year on water. By applying for the WaterSure scheme they might be able to cut this bill in half.
Customers may also be able to save money by taking a closer look at their water bills. Those with a soakaway which drains water into the ground rather than to the public sewerage system can apply to their local water company for surface water charges to be removed. This would save customers around £30 a year. Similarly customers with a septic tank should not be paying foul sewerage charges
Dame Yve Buckland, Chair of the Consumer Council for Water, said: “In 2004 Defra predicted that more than one in ten customers would struggle to afford the prices being announced today, because, for these households, water bills would make up more than three per cent of income after tax.
“We have been pressing the government to address the issue by providing more help through the tax and benefits system for customers struggling to pay their water bills, and we are working actively with the government’s current review of charging and affordability of water.
“In the current economic climate, any price increase will be a concern, and customers may be looking for ways to make every penny count. Taking five minutes to consider our money saving tips could save some customers a significant amount.”
For more money saving tips and water meter calculator visit www.ccwater.org.uk.
Ends
The Consumer Council for Water
1. The Consumer Council for Water was set up in October 2005 to represent consumers in England and Wales.
2. The Consumer Council for Water costs each water customer 25p per year.
3. The Consumer Council for Water has gained £130 million from water companies in reduced prices and extra investments.
4. The Consumer Council for Water has to date taken up over 42,000 consumer complaints about water and sewerage companies, and secured £4 million in compensation and rebates for customers.
5. The Consumer Council for Water is a non-departmental public body reporting to the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Welsh Assembly Government. It has a committee for Wales, and four regional committees in England.
6. Our website is www.ccwater.org.uk.
For public enquiries to the Consumer Council for Water, please contact via email on enquiries@ccwater.org.uk, our phone number, 0845 039 2837, or via minicom on 0121 345 1044.