Residents across Sussex are to face an increase in their household bills yet again this year as Southern Water announces a increase in its charges.
This means dual service customers can expect an increase of 9.4% on their charges, with an average annual bill rising from £401 to £439, while water only bills will go up by 9% and waste only by 9.7%.
The company says this rise will also enable it to help more people in financial difficulty than ever before via a £98m support package for those in need.
Katy Taylor, Southern Water’s Chief Customer Officer, said: “We are aware that the UK’s cost-of-living crisis is a worry for many of our customers, and this is why plans to increase tariffs are never taken lightly.
“The rise this year reflects the growing economic pressures of chemical, energy and wage inflation.
“We are channelling more money than ever before into supporting customers in need – particularly those who may struggle to pay their bills. This £98m will boost the support package we already offer customers including payment holidays, special tariffs, debt write-offs, bill reductions and grants for household items.
Southern Water is investing £2bn between 2020 and 2025 to improve its network, with current projects including £350m on Water For Life Hampshire’s new water supply network, a multimillion pipe installation for the Isle of Sheppey in Kent, and a £28m upgrade of wastewater treatment works in Horsham. We have not paid any dividends to shareholders since 2017.
