Public anger as ‘extortionate’ water bills hiked once again in UK
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqj21ykgpgxo
Posted by Ill-Pressure-9181
Public anger as ‘extortionate’ water bills hiked once again in UK
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqj21ykgpgxo
Posted by Ill-Pressure-9181
36 Comments
It’s insane. The water is owned by private companies, who give thier executives super bonuses, despite the fact they pump raw sewage into the rivers. And then increase prices.
The government refuses to do anything.
Why the hell is a water utility boss being paid over £500k a year?
People need water. The utility supplies it. Or doesn’t in their case it seems…
Never ever trust a private company to handle what’s basically a natural monopoly.
A utility should not be run for profit.
The privatisation of water companies continues to be a mistake of gargantuan proportions.
Surprised they haven’t sold the rights Oxygen to a private company yet in all honesty
This is from Thatcherite economics where everything that runs the state- utilities, infrastructure, public transport, institutions- was sold off to private equity.
Now our entire structure of society is owned by foreign shareholders. A teacher’s union in the US. A hedge fund in Japan. A number of off-shore accounts laundering black cash from St. Petersburg syndicate.
And if the water company doesn’t meet the targets, say because of Putin’s gas pipeline across Europe, then the company cuts corners to pay shareholders investment by pumping our turds in the water system.
But hey. At least they give a sh1t.
Profits for UK water companies went up 82% between 2018/2019 and 2022/2023.
Fucking why? It should be illegal to have profits on something as basic as water. I have the same feelings about electricity too honestly. Basic necessities should never be profited from.
At the same time they’re somehow 60 billion in debt. They can do that because we’re all ~~held hostage by~~ guaranteed customers to them. They’re not at risk so they can keep this messed up method going.
If only we had the political will to mass protest via everyone refusing to pay the bill until it’s turned into a public government owned utility (and without the debt, by the way, just confiscate it from the idiots running it, leave them with the mess they made.)
Ah don’t worry, their profits are going to… trickle down… eventually
United Utilities increased their profits from £126 million in 2024 to £264 million in 2025. They increased their prices by 67% in the last 3 years.
Ignore the detail of the dividend payments to shareholders from loans so the interest is tax deductible .
The water supply infrastructure requires investment to update, so when that is complete, the efficiency savings etc, should mean that thereafter All WATER BILLS DHOULD BE SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED .
Perhaps the management of these “ chiselling businesses “ can confirm this will happen .
They were going to bring in water bills here in Ireland a few years back but the protests against it were so big that there was no choice for the government but to scrap the idea
Ours has gone down & it’s got me worried.
That’s what private companies do, When public assets are privatised, they’re run for profit to generate money for its shareholders who come first.
Gotta pay for those dividends some how.
Who privatized utility companies in the UK?
I read Building Jerusalem, written by Tristam Hunt last year and he goes into great detail how Joseph Chamberlain (complex dude ngl and father of the infamous Chamberlain) as Mayor of Birmingham took radical steps to protect rate payers from private coal and coke & water companies and to ensure that any profits were reinvested into lower the rates, he really revolutionized municipal ownership of essential amenities. His early years of politics was a rare glimmer of hope in a newly industrialized Britain, sadly things usually have to get abysmally bad before politicians actually care about the people they’re representing.
Let me guess- whip up anger to divide people and get them to vote against their interest for ukip ? Media is owned by the oligarchy- they keep going with this playbook and it’s working. Having said that, starmer is deeply unpopular and doesn’t seem to be able to do anything – wish he would stand up on progressive projects after years of conservative policies that were designed to break the system so they can grift
Sadly shows the lack of financial education in the UK, as most people can own a part of these companies and benefit from them.
In my own case, my local water provider is SES water, which normally costs me about £280 a year on meter.
I own approx. £5000 worth of shares in the parent company – Pennon Group.
Last year they paid me around £350 in dividend payments – so free water – and the share price has increased by around 37% this year, which is a nice bonus too.
Can charge for water when they fix the leaks, been 2 around here, both at the same time, one was fixed, another they erected the usual.stuff for a couple of days then, left.. with water still coming from somewhere, as the road still seems to have a coating of water on it days later
I wouldn’t mind so much if they didn’t pump shit into our rivers and when they get caught they just make some excuse and maybe get a miniscule find.
Its like California, lol.
Oh wauw! I live in the Faroe Islands, which is basically right next to Scotland and here water is free! Cant imagine having to pay a lot of money for something as basic as water, especially not in this part of the world where it basically rains 24/7.
England, not UK.
Not in Scotland surely?
Water company bosses honestly should have all their private assets seized, sold and put back into the public purse. They should also go to jail.
Well Brexit solved so much regulation/s
Now let’s list how much profit each company has made this year and get them to justify that
Fun fact England and wales are the only places on earth with a fully privatized water system not even the US has fully private water. Scotland for example has Scottish water which is a private company owned buy the Scottish government and water rates are paid in council tax so it is in effect publicly owned. So the headline is misleading as only in England and wales are bills being hiked up so not the entire UK
It’s crazy that the government has focused on re-nationalising the trains over water
For years the water companies have said they need more money for investment. How many billions is it going to cost to do absolutely nothing
Yorkshire Water increased our unit rates by 100%; no consultation with customers or a Parliamentary debate, and my MP hasn’t responded to my complaints. So basically we’ve no option other than to pay it.
Time to drink my own piss
Had my water bill emailed at the same time as a text off Severn Trent saying there was a burst water pipe (again) and I had no water :’)
As a Canadian of British decent, who follows the UK news… This is… Fucked up.
Private water companies? WTH? Was Nestle not interested? In many parts of Canada water is effectively free, as it’s paid by your municipal taxes. I’m in my 50s and have never even seen a water bill.
Looks like the average UK water bill is $100CAD/ month. That’s 50% of my electricity bill. Ironically called the Hydro bill in many parts of Canada, due to Hydroelectricity being the source.
I thought Canada had the highest per capita use of water on earth, but this says Iraq beats us! WTF?
https://www.worldometers.info/water/
I simply do not believe that! I’ve had friends visit Europe and have their hosts freak out by how much water we use. Leave taps running all the time etc. We’re pretty bad about that.
It’s the lack of shame in demanding huge new rises without ever explaining and apologising for the decades of rampant profiteering.