Why have my water charges gone up?

We are committed to providing with you with safe, reliable water and sewerage services at good value for money.

This year it has been necessary to increase charges to help us carry out our £1.2 billion five-year capital investment plan. This means that the average unmeasured household bill is increasing by about 7.8% this year, including 4.28% for inflation. . 

Your bill is however £21 (£10.50 water and £10.50 sewerage) lower than the price limit set by Ofwat.  Welsh Water is the only Company in the industry to pay a customer dividend.

For more information on the new charges, please call us on FREEPHONE 0800 052 0138 (Monday – Friday , 8am – 8pm, Saturday, 8:30am – 1:30pm) and ask for a FREE copy of our Price Review 2005-2010.

What is my Customer Dividend?

As you may know, Welsh Water is a single purpose company, run exclusively for the benefit of customers like you. We have no shareholders. Our energy and efforts go into giving you a reliable service and value for money.

Because we have no shareholders, any profit we make is reinvested back into the business. So instead of paying dividends to shareholders, we pay a dividend to you and deduct it from your bill.

What does rateable value mean and why are my charges based on it?

The rateable value is an assessment of the annual rental value of a property made by the Local Authority in 1973 and updated in 1990. It is based on a number of factors including the size of your property, its general condition, and the availability of local services.

In 1999 the Water Industry Act gave water companies the right to use rateable values to calculate bills for properties without a water meter, built before 1st April 1990. That is why your bill will have ‘rateable value (RV)’ on it.

Do I have to tell you if my Council Tax band changes?

No, you don’t need to inform us if your property changes to a new Council Tax band. This is because your Council Tax has no bearing on what you pay for your water and sewerage service. Your charges are based on the rateable value of your house (if it was built before 1st April 1990) or, if it was built later, on a standard charge.

Do I have to pay water and sewerage charges if I’m renovating my house?

Yes, you are responsible for any water or sewerage services you receive. This includes i f you are renovating or decorating your house, it is empty (but contains furniture) or is occupied.

What is surface water drainage?

Surface water is rainwater that falls onto a property or water that drains into the public sewer from activities such as washing your car.

You might have a charge for surface water drainage on your bill. This charge covers the costs of taking away and treating surface water that runs from your house into our drains. This includes water that flows through your gutters or which simply runs into the road and ends up in our sewer.

None of the rainwater from my home goes into the drains. Should this affect my bill?

If you can prove that surface water from your property does not enter our drains we might be able to reduce your bill. For an information pack, please call us on freephone 0800 052 0149. You will nest to quote your customer reference number, your name and a daytime telephone number. We will send you an information pack that you will need to complete and return.

Would I save money if I changed to a water meter?

If you use relatively little water, then you might benefit from changing to a water meter. It works in the same way as a gas or electricity meter and only charges you for the amount of water you use.

Can I have the meter removed on a new house I’ve bought?

We cannot remove a water meter on a property that you’ve bought. If you are selling your house it is a good idea to let the buyer know that there is a water meter fitted at the property.

I cannot afford to pay my water charges. What can I do?

We understand that you may experience difficulties paying your water charges from time to time. Don’t worry. We are here to help.

Call us on FREEPHONE 0800 052 0145 ( Monday - Friday, 8am – 8pm, Saturday, 8:30am – 1:30pm). We might be able to arrange for you to pay your bill by weekly, fortnightly or monthly instalments.

If you are receiving benefits, then you may want to talk to your benefits agency about paying us directly.

Whatever your situation, it’s crucial that you talk to us right away. If we do not know your circumstances, or cannot contact you about an unpaid bill, we will automatically appoint a debt collection agency. And this could mean more costs for you.