Water bills set to increase (From Daily Echo)

'claims it will be improving water quality'. So what's wrong with the current stuff then?

I still have my very first rates bill from the then, Winchester RDC for the year - 1963. The total for the year was £40.00, of which £5.00 was the water rate. To put this into perspective, my earnings for the year was £1.000, (a lot of money in those days). Utilities were a service that the working man required, in order for him to live a proper life, and raise a family, for the future prosperity of the nation. And so it was. But then, along comes the iron lady, out to make a big name for herself,(and she did), sells off all the utilities to make money, and revel in the delight of making lots of happy little tories, to boost her image. There is not much left of this country, that is not owned by foreigners, and you can bet your life, that they are intent on milking us dry, Harold Wilson must be turning in his grave.

Every time I get a Bill I have used less and less water. My bill is more and more though. They tell us to be careful with the stuff but you are not encouraged to do so when they're hiking the rates - And I'm on a meter so it should be better - not!! Do yourselves a favour and don't go via the water meter route, there's no incentive to it any more and absolutely no point whatsoever,.

When they privatised water we were told competition will improve the service and reduce the cost/bills. But it seems to be going in the opposite direction.
Hands up those who supported water privatisation???? I most certainly did not nor I am sure did Southy. I have no doubt there will be plenty of Tories who will be posting justifying the lunacies of privatisation.

Huffybear wrote:
Every time I get a Bill I have used less and less water. My bill is more and more though. They tell us to be careful with the stuff but you are not encouraged to do so when they're hiking the rates - And I'm on a meter so it should be better - not!! Do yourselves a favour and don't go via the water meter route, there's no incentive to it any more and absolutely no point whatsoever,.

Talking rubbish i`ve reduced my bill by 30% switching to a water meter. Of course it goes up dosent every bill........but you save the money when you move away from the rated charge.

Shoong wrote:
'claims it will be improving water quality'. So what's wrong with the current stuff then?

It's obviously the wrong sort of rain!

Just wait until we have three dry days in May - there will be drought warnings & more bill hike threats. And then of course there will be the global warming sheep. I can't wait for spring.

Where exactly do these utility and councils think the extra money to pay their over inflation rises is going to come from?
I can not afford to pay any more, there is no blood left in this stone!
Also when was the last time water boards spent any money on updating their Victorian infrastucture?
they have been using it at little cost for 100 years.

geoff51 wrote:
Where exactly do these utility and councils think the extra money to pay their over inflation rises is going to come from?
I can not afford to pay any more, there is no blood left in this stone!
Also when was the last time water boards spent any money on updating their Victorian infrastucture?
they have been using it at little cost for 100 years.

"*****Southern Water invested £1.2 billion in its operations and works between 2000 and 2005 and is now undertaking a further £2 billion of improvements across Kent, Sussex, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight between 2005 and 2010.

During 2007/8 the company invested £397 million on service improvements for customers.*****"

This is from the Southern Water website. A bit more than 'little cost' isn't it?

Derek of Dibden Purlieu wrote:

geoff51 wrote: Where exactly do these utility and councils think the extra money to pay their over inflation rises is going to come from? I can not afford to pay any more, there is no blood left in this stone! Also when was the last time water boards spent any money on updating their Victorian infrastucture? they have been using it at little cost for 100 years.

"*****Southern Water invested £1.2 billion in its operations and works between 2000 and 2005 and is now undertaking a further £2 billion of improvements across Kent, Sussex, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight between 2005 and 2010. During 2007/8 the company invested £397 million on service improvements for customers.*****" This is from the Southern Water website. A bit more than 'little cost' isn't it?

Do you work for them?
My point is the pot is empty and unlike the gas/electricity you have no choice of supplier and they have you by delicate parts of your anatomy!

family of four here ,on a water meter.we had no choice house was already bulit with water meter in place.we are carefull but i to find im neally £200 in debt with my water,i pay £40 mth fixed bill.
im sick of people who use there garden sprinkers all summer just to water the lawn,and pay less then me.I have water butts to water plants.kids are even told not to flush the lo with every little wee.Better off without a meter when you have a family.I have ben told my southern water im under my useage allowance for a family of four,so how come im in debit then??

geoff51 wrote:

Derek of Dibden Purlieu wrote:

geoff51 wrote: Where exactly do these utility and councils think the extra money to pay their over inflation rises is going to come from? I can not afford to pay any more, there is no blood left in this stone! Also when was the last time water boards spent any money on updating their Victorian infrastucture? they have been using it at little cost for 100 years.

"*****Southern Water invested £1.2 billion in its operations and works between 2000 and 2005 and is now undertaking a further £2 billion of improvements across Kent, Sussex, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight between 2005 and 2010. During 2007/8 the company invested £397 million on service improvements for customers.*****" This is from the Southern Water website. A bit more than 'little cost' isn't it?

Do you work for them?
My point is the pot is empty and unlike the gas/electricity you have no choice of supplier and they have you by delicate parts of your anatomy!

No I don't work for Southern Water, I work for ExxonMobil who also put the squeeze on your anatomy!!!!

I also dont want a water meter. Now this is no joke before i retired many a man who had a meter waited to get to work before they relieved them selves and many had a shower before they left given time or stayed behind todo so and guess what i still paid less than them but even that is too much for what we get why do i have to pay for rain water down the gutter its free why do i have to pay for rain water on the roads i did'nt put it there i wish OFWAT look at what we are paying for then tell the water board to re-adjust the bills and take away these stupid charges another point i have never understood is how do i produce more waste water than what comes into the property?. i too can remember when the water charge was only a couple of quid a month now we have over paid executives who want more and more for the pretex of repairing what should'nt have gone into disrepair in the first place prehaps we should have water aid here as well.