Fury as customers’ water bills go towards debt and dividends instead of vital services.
Over a third of customers’ bills for water in England and Wales are not used for water and sewerage services, researchers have revealed. An average of 35% of customer bills in 2023-2024 was taken out to pay for the interest on water companies’ debt piles and to pay dividends to the shareholders, experts at the University of Greenwich found.
Lead researcher Professor David Hall said:
“Consumers and the environment would be far better off if the companies were transferred to the public sector. 82% of the public, across all political parties, recognise this when they say they are in favour of public ownership. Over 90% of the world runs water and sewerage services in the public sector. Yet the government has forbidden its own commission reviewing the water sector in England and Wales to even consider public ownership. It undermines the credibility of the commission and the public interest. That restriction should be removed immediately.”
The British Blue Community ‘We Own It’ comments:
“We’re all paying a ‘privatisation tax’ of 35% on water bills! 🤬
Money that goes straight down the drain to pay banks and shareholders.
Public ownership could stop this rip-off and save us £3-5bn every year. Enough to clean up rivers and reduce bills.”
