About your Bill Your charges explained wessexwater.co.uk 1 Contents Introduction 1 Charges 2020-21 2 Metered customers 4 Unmetered customers 6 What we do for you 8 Common questions 10 Reduction of your sewerage bill 12 Contact us Back cover Introduction Each year we set our charges according to price limits that we agree with Ofwat every five years. The last of these reviews was in 2019 when prices were set for the period between 2020 and 2025. This leaflet explains more about Ofwat’s price limits, how you are charged and where the money goes. You’ll find more detailed information in our charges scheme, visit wessexwater.co.uk/our-charges or call 0345 600 3 600 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm; Saturday, 8am to 2pm) for a copy. The Wessex Water region Stroud Cotswold South Gloucestershire Bristol Wessex Water Chippenham North Somerset Bath BANES Devizes Weston-super-Mare Trowbridge Wiltshire Sedgemoor Mendip Warminster West Bridgwater Somerset Salisbury Taunton Taunton Yeovil South Somerset North Dorset East New Forest West Dorset Dorset Dorchester Poole Key Christchurch Purbeck Bournemouth Water supply and sewerage services area Sewerage services only Weymouth Weymouth and Portland Water supply services only 1 Charges 2020-21 Our metered charges from 1 April 2020 are: Water supply Sewerage Meter size Standing Volumetric Full stand- Abated Volumetric charge per charge per ing charge standing charge per annum cubic metre per annum charge* per cubic metre annum <25mm £24 £2.0058 £56 £35 £1.6836 WaterSure Plus Water supply Sewerage Charge per annum £204 £198 * The abated standing charge is payable where no part of the property is connected for surface water drainage. Our unmetered charges from 1 April 2020 are: Water Sewerage supply Standing charge per annum £7 £7 Poundage charge per £ of RV of the property Full £1.8373 £1.5445 Abated* - £1.4200 Thames Water area** - £1.6070 Garden sprinklers and similar unattended £115 - devices per annum*** Surface water and highway drainage only - £47 charge per annum * The abated poundage charge is payable where no part of the property is connected for surface water drainage. ** No standing charge will be made in the Thames Water area. *** We require sprinkler users to be metered where possible. How you’re charged There are two ways we can charge you All household customers have the for water and/or sewerage services. option to ask for a meter to be installed One is based on the rateable value (RV) free of charge. of your property (unmetered charging) If you live on your own, have a small and the other depends on how much family, live in a house with a high water you use (metered charging) – this rateable value, or you are a low water is measured using a water meter. user, you could pay less on a meter. 2 How the charges are set if you’re a metered customer or the rateable value of your property if you’re Our customers are a very important an unmetered customer. part of our process for setting charges. We consult with them at length and The difference between take their views into account in our five-yearly business plan. There’s more metered and unmetered information on pages 8 and 9 about charges where we are investing. We make sure that the difference Our economic regulator, Ofwat, then between metered and unmetered examines our plan and sets a price bills reflects the difference in the cost formula that enables us to put the plan of providing these services. By using into practice while limiting increases in the average amount of water that an our charges each year. unmetered household would use, we Within these limits, we may need to calculate what an average household’s change individual charges by different bill would be if it was paying on a amounts so that charges to customers metered basis. This is then compared are fair in reflecting the cost of the with the actual average unmetered bill. services. For example, this means that This difference is around £41 per year the increase in unmetered charges can for water bills and £16 for sewerage be less or more than those for metered bills. services. A metered bill is higher than an Since 2015 Ofwat has said that if unmetered bill because it costs us more we receive more income than we to serve a customer with a meter. These had expected – for example, if a dry extra costs include the maintenance, summer prompts customers in metered replacement and reading of the meter properties to use more water in their and the costs of sending two bills every gardens – the following year we have to year instead of one. return that extra amount to customers When comparing metered and through slightly lower bills than we had unmetered bills, you must look at the planned. overall bill and not just the separate This year is the start of a new 5 year elements. It is not appropriate to make price control and because of economic direct comparisons between one conditions Ofwat has set our allowed element of a bill for unmetered and revenues lower for the coming 5 years metered, as they do not cover the same than last year. This year charges are services. decreasing by around 7%. Your bill will change by more or less depending on the service you receive from us, how much water you use 3 Metered customers Metered charges — charging for the water you use If you have a meter your water charges The 5% allowance covers virtually all depend on the amount of water you use. household situations, eg, evaporation, Water supplies to new homes will be car washing, drinking, cooking and all metered as no rateable value exists for garden related use (including normal these properties. We also aim to install use of hosepipes, sprinklers, paddling water meters on properties which are pools and hot tub top ups). It also takes currently unmetered when there is an into account wet and dry years. occupier change following a property The average UK household uses sale or a new tenancy. 130 cubic metres of water per year. Customers who use a sprinkler or have The 5% allowance amounts to about a swimming pool must also have a 6,500 litres or 1,430 gallons. metered supply. If considerably less than 95% of your Where a metered bill spans a period water use is returned to the sewer, before and after 1 April 2020, we charge please let us know and we’ll find out if for water used before 1 April at 2019 you qualify for a reduction in charges. rates and water used after that date at 2020 rates. We assume that use is Your bill consistent throughout the entire billing If you have a water meter you will be period. Sewerage charges, where billed in arrears, normally twice a year, applicable, are applied on the same for the water you have used. Payment basis. is due immediately unless you have a Sewerage is normally charged on the payment arrangement with us. If you assumption that 95% of the water used have recently had a water meter fitted, returns to the sewer. your first bill will normally arrive within six months of this date. Metered standing charges Your meter connection size determines your standing charges. Meter connection sizes vary. The metered water supply standing charge covers some of the cost of reading the meter, its repair or replacement and billing costs. The metered sewerage standing charge includes billing costs and the costs associated with the collection and treatment of surface water and highway drainage. The standing charges are annual fixed charges and each metered bill includes a proportion of the standing charge based on the number of days since the last meter reading. 4 How can we help? If you have a water meter and you need and support allowance, working tax to use a large amount of water for credit, housing benefit or universal reasons you cannot control, WaterSure credit. Plus may be able to help. WaterSure In addition, you must either: Plus puts a limit on the amount you • receive child benefit for three or have to pay. more children under 19 living in your To qualify for WaterSure Plus, you household, or must receive one of the means-tested • have someone in the household with benefits or tax credits, such as income a medical condition that causes them support, income-related employment to use significantly more water. See our website for more information: wessexwater.co.uk/watersureplus or call 0345 600 3 600 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm; Saturday, 8am to 2pm). Pension Credit discount If you receive Pension Credit or state pension is your only income, we may be able to offer you a discount of on average 20% off your bill. For an application form, call 0345 600 6 600 (24 hour automated service) or visit wessexwater.co.uk/ pensioncredit In your local area people are saving water... and you could do the same. Simply follow our tips below and you can easily save water in your home and garden. This will also help your local environment. Shorter showers Install a water Check for leaks 1 Around 25% of your 2 butt 3 A toilet leak can be daily water use is Install a water butt invisible but use from showering. Try to collect free rain- up to 400 litres of taking a minute off water, which your water a day your shower time. plants prefer. FREE for you Visit wessexwater.co.uk/savingwater to see how you can save more water, order FREE water saving devices and estimate your water use.