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Original poster

Water bill

91 replies

silversun · 25/03/2025 08:47

I know in the south west our water bills are higher than most but we just got our bill for the coming year, just under £1600.
Bog standard 3 bed semi, 4 people, average use, not on a meter.
Just wondered what others in a similar situation are paying and would it be cheaper on a meter?

OP posts:
EilonwyWithRedGoldHair · 25/03/2025 17:37

Welsh Water, on a meter, a little under £60/mth for me, DH & DS. We apparently use slightly less than average.

Unmetered would be £1230 for the year.

BeaLola · 25/03/2025 17:34

I just checked mine for a water meter - I pay £56 direct debit a month and that tends to cover me (this is for sewerage as well)

We are a 5 bed DH and have a teenager - our washing machine is on a lot, have a dishwasher and DH & DS have a bath every day - I tend to have a shower every morning and probably 5 nights a week have a bath as well in the evening. In the summer unless there's a hosepipe ban we water our garden a lot .

hattie43 · 25/03/2025 17:20

I pay 6mthly and it’s gone up from £268 to £678. Madness

FatLarrysBanned · 25/03/2025 17:06

Afraid so @TotHappy I only found out by chance, I haven't had my 6 monthly bill yet, I expect they'll be slipping a leaflet in then giving us the good news...

www.southwestwater.co.uk/household/help-support/faqs/customer-services#government-contribution

TotHappy · 25/03/2025 17:01

FatLarrysBanned · 25/03/2025 12:04

I'm in Devon as well. On a meter, 3 bed house but just me and teen DD. Pay about £55 a month, and that includes the £50 government discount for our quite frankly, outrageous water bills, but even this is being stopped from April this year 🙄. I am incredibly frugal with our water.

Leaving a tap running whilst teeth brushing would be a luxury, and any water which comes out of the tap whilst waiting for the hot water to come through fills a kettle/jug to be used on something else.

We've always paid much more than the national average for water.

What?! Theyre stopping the subsidy? Fucking hell!

Tagyoureit · 25/03/2025 16:36

I pay £18 a month for 4 of us in a 3 bed terraced in SE London.

Noperope · 25/03/2025 13:45

FastFood · 25/03/2025 09:39

I pay £1000/ year for a 1 bed flat, 1 adult, no kid. Its ludicrous. I live in a converted house and was told I can't have a meter.

Show quote history

They should give you a cheaper tariff if they can't fit a meter.

Tyjaro75 · 25/03/2025 13:35

Also in Devon and we can’t have a water meter. We were paying £51 per month and in April this is increasing to £77 per month! Absolutely ridiculous!

Pinepeak2434 · 25/03/2025 12:47

B1indEye · 25/03/2025 11:52

It's not as simple as that, the rule of thumb is that meters are likely to be cheaper if you have more bedrooms than people so it can be any number of people.

Barring physical problems with fitting a meter I'm surprised that more people don't try given that you can change back if its more expensive

Show quote history

I was told it wasn’t possible to revert back, that was some years ago and a quick look online says it can but within 12 months, which for us has passed.

Em3009 · 25/03/2025 12:07

silversun · 25/03/2025 09:53

It’s gone up by £40 per month from last year, always assumed it was average for this part of the world (Devon)

I’m in Devon, 2 bed house, 2 of us (3 on a weekend). We pay £45 a month on a meter - still can’t get over how much more it is in Devon 🤷‍♀️🤣

DinoLil · 25/03/2025 12:07

Bloody hell, OP!! That's outrageous!

I'm with Southern Water, 3 bed house but just me in it. £10 a month for waste and supply.

FatLarrysBanned · 25/03/2025 12:04

I'm in Devon as well. On a meter, 3 bed house but just me and teen DD. Pay about £55 a month, and that includes the £50 government discount for our quite frankly, outrageous water bills, but even this is being stopped from April this year 🙄. I am incredibly frugal with our water.

Leaving a tap running whilst teeth brushing would be a luxury, and any water which comes out of the tap whilst waiting for the hot water to come through fills a kettle/jug to be used on something else.

We've always paid much more than the national average for water.

vodkaredbullgirl · 25/03/2025 12:00

Wessex water here and I've got a water meter. Gone up £10 a month to nearly £80 a month. 😫

DaphneduM · 25/03/2025 11:57

That's absolutely outrageous!!!! You'd definitely be much better off on a meter. We're with Severn Trent and metered. Four bed detached but only two of us. The only thing we don't have that 'normal' people use is a dishwasher but apart from that usual showers/baths/washing machine etc. We collect water in water butts for the garden. Our last bill for six months was £156. Obviously this will be going up by 21% approx.

Original poster
silversun · 25/03/2025 11:57

just tried ringing south west water, I’m 64th in the queue!

OP posts:
Chunkychips23 · 25/03/2025 11:57

My water company tried to put our bill to £166 per month. This is for two adults and a toddler. We have a metre. They’d just not bothered to record the readings submitted. After challenging them, they dropped it to £62 per month.

It’s worth challenging it as they may just be estimating.

Irritateddaily · 25/03/2025 11:53

Really confused by the amounts I'm seeing here. 3 bed masionette with 3 people and our bill for the entire year was like £160?

B1indEye · 25/03/2025 11:52

Pinepeak2434 · 25/03/2025 10:25

I think water meters are only cheaper if you’re a single person, my bills were higher when I went on a meter as we’re a family with teens. I was forced into having the meter I wouldn’t have opted for it.

It's not as simple as that, the rule of thumb is that meters are likely to be cheaper if you have more bedrooms than people so it can be any number of people.

Barring physical problems with fitting a meter I'm surprised that more people don't try given that you can change back if its more expensive

MaisyMary77 · 25/03/2025 11:51

Thames water for us. We have a meter. At the moment we’re paying £95 a month. That’s for 4 adults in a large 5 bed house. I dread to think how much it’s going to go up by when the price increases kick in.

insomniacalways · 25/03/2025 11:43

OMG - East Mids here but Severn Trent - 3 bed bungalow - one adult and two teens - £17.98 a month. On a water meter. It's literally my only bill that went down when ex moved out last year. Before that is was 24.26 My gas an electric however are £200 a month and barely on.

EzraJones · 25/03/2025 11:09

we're with Severn Trent, 2025's bill has jumped ~28% to £575 for Apr25->Mar26

crossstitchingnana · 25/03/2025 11:02

In SE btw

crossstitchingnana · 25/03/2025 11:01

I’m on a meter, with 47% increase coming ours will be £1700.

SleepingisanArt · 25/03/2025 10:34

We are on a meter (have been for ages) and our water usage has decreased over the last 2 years but this year our bill has increased by 70%. Wrote to our MP who has contacted the water company for an explanation!

Pinepeak2434 · 25/03/2025 10:25

I think water meters are only cheaper if you’re a single person, my bills were higher when I went on a meter as we’re a family with teens. I was forced into having the meter I wouldn’t have opted for it.