Water bills to go up for Southern Water customers

Southern Water has announced that the average household water and wastewater bill will be going up for 2019-20 – by an average of £4 per year.

The typical combined water and sewage service bill for a domestic customer is expected to be £438.

Southern Water says that the money will go towards expanding water mains and sewers, along with schemes to help prevent flooding, protect water supplies, reduce leakage, improve water quality, protect the environment and enhance wastewater treatment.

In Portsmouth and the surrounding area most homes are supplied by Portsmouth Water, and with wastewater and sewerage services provided by Southern Water.

Chief executive Ian McAulay said: ‘We are poised to start our largest ever investment programme with plans to spend £4bn between 2020 and 2025.

‘Our customers told us that they wanted us to deliver high quality, value for money services.

‘I’m therefore really pleased to say we will do all this while ensuring bills continue to drop in real terms. In fact over the course of the forthcoming five-year business plan, before inflation bills will fall by more than three per cent.’

The company is currently undergoing a transformation project, which will see investment into ‘crucial’ environmental protection – including work to protect the South Downs National Park.

Mr McAulay added: ‘This transformation also recognises the vital duties we undertake to the beautiful environment in which we operate, from the world heritage chalk streams of Hampshire, through the precious South Downs National Park, to our 700 miles of beautiful coastline.

‘As a water company it is our role to protect and improve the natural environment without pushing increased costs onto bills.’