Customers of Southern Water to see bills reduce by £5 this year

Southern Water has revealed its average combined household bill for water and wastewater treatment services will reduce by 1.3 per cent in 2022/23.

A typical combined bill per household is now expected to be £401.54 compared with an average charge of £406.91 last year – meaning a day’s services will cost £1.10.

It comes as nationally the energy price cap is set to be lifted in April, with the average yearly energy bill set to increase by 54 per cent.

Southern Water can offer support to customers who are going through ‘tough times,’ including payment holidays, special tariffs, debt write-offs, bill reductions and grants for household items.

They also offer support and extra care help for those living with long-term illness, disability, the elderly and even new parents or parents with young children.

Katy Taylor, chief customer officer at Southern, said: ‘If you’re finding it hard to pay your bills due to the surging costs-of-living or for any other reason, our message is: “Please get in touch with us as we can help.”’

The company currently provides more than 126,000 customers with some form of financial assistance, an increase of 21,000 since the start of the pandemic. Last year they gave more than £12.5 million worth of support.

Southern Water has faced scrutiny recently after being fined £90m after pumping 16bn-21bn litres of untreated sewage into delicate ecosystems including the Solent over the past 10 years.

SEE ALSO: Portsmouth group ‘extremely concerned’ by rising energy bills

But it says it has invested its largest amount on record this year; with £610m was spent to ‘improve’ their assets and network, drive down leakage and pollution, protect the environment and prepare for the challenges of climate change.

And the company said it is investing £474m in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. This includes £35m at Peel Common, £24m at Millbrook and £13m at Sandown to increase treatment and storage capacity, which it says will help prevent stormwater releases.

More details about Southern’s tariff schemes can be found at southernwater.co.uk/account/help-paying-your-bill.

Or register for priority services at southernwater.co.uk/account/extra-help-and-support.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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