In what will no doubt come as a nasty surprise for people living in Guernsey, water bills are set to increase by a whopping 12%.
The increase, which will start from 1 January, will see bills rise between £5 and £7 a month. This means an increase of about 11% for those on a meter, and about 12% for unmetered customers.
Defending the increase, Guernsey Water said the move was due to increasing engineering costs and “investment”, with £7.7m of its 2024 budget dedicated to funding for improvements in its network and other infrastructure.
As reported by the BBC, Steve Langlois, Managing Director at the company, said it needed “to maintain and renew” its “essential facilities”.
“We look after a vast network, comprising 14 reservoirs, more than 500 km (310 miles) of underground water pipes, two treated water reservoirs, three water treatment works, over 300km (185 miles) of drainage pipes, 58 pumping stations and a wastewater centre.”
In addition to standard water charges, the emptying charge for a cesspit is due to increase from £7.83 to £9.09 per load. Langlois said this was again to protect and improve the infrastructure that’s in place.
“We also serve over 5,000 cesspit customers using States Works’ fleet of 41 tankers. This is some of the island’s most critical infrastructure that must provide 24/7 services, 365 days a year.”
He added that “all the assets require replacement over time”, but that costs had “risen enormously” over the past two years.
Comparing Water Supplier Prices
If you’re a resident of Guernsey then this will make for painful reading, especially with inflation across the UK still stubbornly high.
Here at Swift Switch, we believe news like this merely highlights how important it is for both households and businesses to compare water suppliers’ prices to ensure you’re getting the best deal.
When it comes to finding a water supplier, some offer better prices than others. Customer service and performance may also be important, and these should all be taken into consideration when switching water suppliers.
At Swift Switch we offer detailed information on many different water suppliers, tariffs and pricing structures, so you’ll have all the info you need to make an informed choice.
Another benefit of using a broker like Swift Switch is we stay informed about the latest market developments, so if you’re keen to partner with a company that aligns with your environmental goals then we can also help you do that.
So if you want to find the best deals on the market that can help you do your bit for the planet, get in touch as we’d be more than happy to help.
