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Thames Water customers who will be paying for the Thames Tideway Tunnel ought to be given more information about the project's effect on their bills, according to the Consumer Council for Water (CCWater).
In its annual review CCWater said the cost of building the Thames Tideway Tunnel will increase sewerage charges of Thames Water customers by £7 in 2015/16 and that the water company and the regulator should provide a “clear explanation” the project will have on bills.
In the report, CCWater said: “So far we’ve been unable to get the clarity we feel customers need through the communication they’ve received, and we will continue to push for improvements in the coming year.”
On the wider question of the affordability of water, the organisation said that despite the 2014 price review, which it described as a “victory for the voice of the customer,” there were still challenges ahead to ensure water bills remained value for money.
The average annual household water bill will fall by 5 per cent from £396 in 2014/15 to £376 in 2020, before inflation is added, the report noted.
“Although this represents good news for most customers, we remain concerned about the pressures facing some households who are already in financial difficulty,” said the report.
CCWater said it had worked closely with water companies in the last year to help them develop and launch new social tariffs, reducing bills for low income households.
Fifteen companies now offer social tariffs but the report raised the question of whether it is fair that such tariffs are funded by customers on a regional basis rather than being centrally funded.
“As most social tariffs are customer funded, it is important they are consulted on who the reduced charges should help, along with how much they are willing to pay through their own water bills to subsidise the scheme… customers have also told us they can see the benefit of assistance with water bills being funded centrally through public expenditure.
“Over the coming year we will make sure these views are presented to policy makers and influence their discussions on tackling affordability.”
This article first appeared on WWTonline.
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