News Release issued by
the COI News Distribution Service on 29 September 2009
CCWater
17/09
Many households will now have received the second water
bill of the year, and the Consumer Council for Water recommends
customers take ten minutes to look through what they are paying
for and that charges for water and sewerage services are correct.
By carefully reading through your water bill, you may find ways
to save. For example, if you have a soakaway which drains
rainwater into the ground rather than into the public sewerage
system, you can apply to your local sewerage company to have
surface water drainage charges removed. This could typically save
around £30 each year. If you have a septic tank you should not be
paying sewerage charges.
It may also be worth taking time to visit the Consumer Council
for Water’s website to see if you could save money by having a
water meter fitted. The water meter bill calculator on the website
can help you work out how much you might pay on a metered charge.
Water companies install meters for free and you can usually
switch back to the unmetered charge anytime within the first 12
months if you are unhappy with the change. If a meter cannot be
fitted, water companies should offer an alternative unmeasured
tariff which may be lower than the current bill. A single person
living alone in a property with an average rateable value might
save around £100 a year by having a meter installed.
If you already have a meter, take a look around your home to work
out ways to trim your bill by using water wisely. Fixing dripping
taps, installing a water saving device in toilets or more water
efficient appliances, taking showers rather than baths and
collecting rainwater for use in the garden are all great ways to
be more water efficient.
Around a quarter of a household’s energy bill comes from heating
water for baths or showers, or for washing clothes or dishes. By
reducing water wastage, families should also see a reduction in
energy bills.
Special tariffs and assistance schemes may also be available for
customers struggling to pay. One such scheme which applies across
England is WaterSure. WaterSure caps a household’s water bill at
the average rate for their area so vulnerable households can use
the water they need without having to worry about a high bill.
Customers receiving income related benefits who have a meter and
either three or more dependant children, or a medical condition
that means they need to use more water, are eligible for help. A
low income household of five with a water meter could be spending
around £700 per year on water. By applying for the WaterSure
scheme they might be able to cut this bill in half.
Dame Yve Buckland, Chair of the Consumer Council for Water, said:
“About a third of customers admit to us that they are unlikely to
read the information contained in their water bills. Water
companies have a duty to make sure that the bills they send out
are accurate and that charges are clearly explained, but customers
can help themselves by looking in more detail at the information
in their bills too.
“Customers should not pay any more than they need to for their
water services. By taking ten minutes to consider our money saving
tips and to check their bills, customers can avoid losing out, and
in some cases could make real savings.”
For more information on ways to save money on water bills, and
the water meter bill calculator visit www.ccwater.org.uk.
Ends
The Consumer Council for Water
1. The Consumer Council for Water was set up in October 2005 to
represent consumers in England and Wales.
2. The Consumer
Council for Water costs each water customer 25p per year.
3.
The Consumer Council for Water has gained £135 million from water
companies in reduced prices and extra investments.
4. The
Consumer Council for Water has to date taken up over 60,000
consumer complaints about water and sewerage companies, and
secured £6 million in compensation and rebates for
customers.
5. The Consumer Council for Water is a
non-departmental public body reporting to the Department of
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Welsh Assembly
Government. It has a committee for Wales, and four committees in
England.
6. Our website is www.ccwater.org.uk.
For public enquiries to the Consumer Council for Water, please
contact via email on enquiries@ccwater.org.uk,
our freephone number, 0845 039 2837, or via minicom on 0121 345
1044.
The Consumer Council for Water
Victoria Square House,
Victoria Square, Birmingham B2 4AJ
Press Office: 0121 345 1005
or 1006
Contacts:
Amy Weiser
Phone: 0121 345 1006
Mobile: 07778 160808
amy.weiser@ccwater.org.uk