Water bills in Wales are set to rise by an average of 1.3% from April this year, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water has announced.
The not-for-profit company has said the average household bill for water and sewerage will rise from around £434 to £440. The average industry rise across England and Wales is 2%.
In December last year Nelson-based Welsh Water said it would keep bill increases to at least 1% below inflation between 2015 and 2020. Its business plan for the period is currently being considered by industry regulator Ofwat.
Welsh Water’s Chief Executive Chris Jones said: “Our focus is always on doing the right thing for our customers and earning their trust by delivering the best possible service at the most affordable price.
“With no shareholders, we’ve been able to return any gains we make to our customers for over a decade. We are delighted that we can keep our price increase below inflation for the fifth consecutive year, at a time of record investment in maintaining and improving our services whilst also helping more than 56,000 customers with their bills.”
The bill increase has been welcomed by the Consumer Council for Water Wales Committee.
Diane McCrea, chair of the Consumer Council for Water Wales Committee, said: “Many households are facing difficult financial circumstances so we are pleased that Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water has listened to CCWater and its customers and plans to keep bill increases below inflation until 2020.
“There will still be those customers who will struggle to pay their bill and we’d urge them to contact the company immediately and find out what support there is available, whether that’s more flexible payment options or special assistance funds.”
Welsh Water has said it is currently investing a record £1.5 billion in its water and sewerage services between 2010 and 2015 – the equivalent of around £1,000 per household.
The company plans to invest a further £1.5 billion between 2015 and 2020.