Detail of a woman counting money for payment.
  • Average water and sewerage bill in England and Wales set to fall by £17 to £397 in April
  • Northumbrian, Southern and Wessex customers set for biggest reductions
  • CCW says many households can ‘supercharge’ savings by switching to a meter
  • Marks the start of new 5-year package of lower bills and increased investment
  • Only 6 in 10 households currently think their water charges are fair – CCW research

Lower water bills are in the pipeline for millions of households this spring but customers are being urged to act now to supercharge their savings.

CCW – the voice for water consumers – wants customers to take full advantage of a 4 per cent reduction in the average water and sewerage bill in England and Wales from 1 April 2020.The new charges were confirmed by Water UK today (Thursday) and will see the average bill fall by about £17 to £397.

It marks the start of a new five-year package that will see the vast majority of water companies reducing bills, while pumping more investment into the services consumers value most.

Changes to bills will vary considerably across the country and what customers end up paying will look very different depending on their supplier and individual circumstances. But it will still provide a shot in the arm for many of the three million customers who say they struggle to afford the most essential utility.

And CCW says now is the ideal time for customers to see whether they could soak up even bigger savings by trialing a water meter.

Andy White, CCW’s Senior Policy Manager, said: “Many households don’t feel they get a fair deal from their water company but over the next five years customers are set to receive more for their money – and we want them to take full advantage.”

“There are still millions of households who could tap into savings by switching to a meter or cut their bills if they’re on a low income by signing up to their company’s social tariff.”

Switching to a meter is often the simplest way to save and some customers find they can slash their water bills by more than £100 a year. Most companies will usually give customers up to 2 years to trial a meter and switch back if they are worse off or unhappy.

CCW has a popular online water meter calculator where people can quickly check to see if they might be better off before taking the plunge. Last year customers using the calculator identified potential savings worth £19.6 million.

Customers can also take advantage of water-saving freebies offered by their water company, which can help them save money – as well as water – if they already pay metered charges.Low-income households should also check to see if they’re eligible for their water company’s social tariff.

These schemes can substantially reduce the bills of cash-strapped customers by as much as 90 per cent in some cases. Customers can explore the range of financial assistance schemes available by contacting their water company or visiting our website