Five water firms to raise bills after appeal
https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/five-water-firms-raise-bills-after-appeal
A water bill from Southern WaterPLANS to allow water firms to increase bills yet again, despite decades of mismanagement and ongoing pollution, were condemned by campaigners today.
Five firms are set to raise charges by up to 5 per cent above the limits initially set by regulator Ofwat.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) confirmed that Anglian Water, Northumbrian Water, South East Water, Southern Water and Wessex Water have been permitted to hike their tariffs following an appeal.
The firms argued that Ofwat’s original decision left them unable to meet the regulatory requirements set out for them.
It follows a ruling in December, in which Southern had already been allowed to increase bills by 53 per cent over the next five years.
…
Kirstin Baker, who chaired the independent group of experts appointed by the CMA to consider the price controls, said that the request for significant bill increases were “largely unjustified.”
River Action CEO James Wallace said: “Once again, water bill payers are forced to shoulder the cost of decades of failure.
“Millions of households in England face higher bills while rivers continue to suffer from mismanagement by privatised water companies.
…
https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/five-water-firms-raise-bills-after-appeal
