Yorkshire Water Price Increase (6.1%?)

[Darth Vader]

The increase in bills is largely down to inflation and means that Yorkshire Water’s customers will be paying about an extra £1.75 per month in 2012/13. The increase will help fund our ongoing investment programme and the good news is that South Yorkshire (and Sheffield in particular!) will benefit enormously from this.

 

For example, over the next three years we will be investing about £78 million at Blackburn Meadows Waste Water Treatment Works opposite Meadowhall that will deliver significant improvements to the quality of the River Don. We’re working in partnership with the Environment Agency, the Sheffield-based River Stewardship Company and the Don Catchment Rivers Trust.

 

We’re also investing tens of millions at other waste water treatment works like Woodhouse Mill at Rotherham and Old Whittington in Chesterfield.

 

On top of that we’re currently £14 million to improve Rivelin Water Treatment Works, where new treatment processes are being installed to protect customers’ drinking water supplies. This will benefit more than 100,000 homes.

 

Whilst we appreciate that this is coming at a difficult time for many people this increase will help us deliver significant benefits for the local environment.

 

If you have genuine concerns about how you might be able to afford the increase we may be able to assist you.

 

As discussed previously, there is no assistance for hard-working families who go without to pay bills. Your assistance is unsatisfactory and so are your price increases and reasons for them whilst Yorkshire is one of the hardest hit areasin the country in the recession.

[charliewag]

I see no reason why the prinicpal of 'from each according to his means' shouldn't apply. Perhaps some modernisation wouldn't go amis, but I suspect that your council tax is also more than that of your friend, and it's a poor model to work from given the relatively small differences between the bands.

 

Also, I would think that on the whole, the occupants of a 3 bed semi would use more water than those in a terrace. For instace, presuambaly, a drive and garage make it more likely that an occupant of a semi might wash his car more often. The gardens also tend to be larger so watering of plants etc has to be taken into account.

 

Anyway my OP was about how YW can justify the rise of 6.1%. Londoners are getting billions of investment in this and in Essex they are also seeing a return for their above inflation increases.

 

So come on Yorks Water, what's your excuse?

 

i do pay more council tax than my friend but not 55% more.

[GodStar]

Hows about Yorkshire Water scrap this-

 

RESOLVE SCHEME

The Resolve scheme offers customers on a low income and in arrears an opportunity to clear their debt by maintaining a payment arrangement which will see us to agree to write off a proportion of the debt that is owed.

 

Just another hand out for those who choose to ignore their responsibilites and get their priorities all wrong. Bills then wont have to go up so much for the people that pay

[GodStar]

The increase in bills is largely down to inflation and means that Yorkshire Water’s customers will be paying about an extra £1.75 per month in 2012/13. The increase will help fund our ongoing investment programme and the good news is that South Yorkshire (and Sheffield in particular!) will benefit enormously from this.

 

.

 

I note in the Yorkshire Water Services Annual Report and Financial Statement for the Year ended 31st March 2010 in the Chairmans Review it states-

 

....as a result of OFWATS decision, water and sewreage bills will fall by an average of £4 per year in the first two years of the period between 2010-2015 and increase by just £1 in 2015. This will take the average bill from £331 to £332 over the period, an increase of just 20p per year above inflation. This is good news for customers and stakeholders.....

 

Does this mean Yorkshire Water are raising prices over and above what they are authorised to by OFWAT??

 

 

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:MHf2NWUR-WYJ:www.yorkshirewater.com/medialibrary/PDF%2520files/Annual%2520Reports/YWS%2520Ltd%2520Stat%2520accounts%25200910%2520final.pdf+yorkshire+water+directors+earnings&hl=en&gl=uk&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESjzcu4YRTnE64PERWrCmzXzzJnc_h_yO8I3X9d1qRHkjNFj4ohOPfYoCRGLYbczMN4o7lVTcRRB2lp-i8W13Xja9-YTMKTi6wqs9e5GkjTRs9NoxRGvm7I921-xdpiNXNTQSbyb&sig=AHIEtbRFZZbrTTvJ8DK_dfIXYv4dNtcyZg

Edited February 1, 2012 by GodStar

[Chez2]

it's about time a council tax type banding system was brought in for water rates instead of the old fashioned rateable value of the property. i live in a 3 bed semi, my friend has an old 3 bed terrace. 2 adults and 2 children in each property so the water usage will be about the same yet his water rates are 45% of what i pay.

 

Severn Trent cover some of Sheffield and they do use council tax banding. There is not really much difference between ratable value and banding for the equivalent house. I thought I might get caught out by this when property price went up in the 1990s but I didn't. I'm in YW for water at the moment and ST for sewage. I moved over to a water meter eleven years ago. I had previously been on a water meter in a new house under ST for eight years. Meters aren't as bad as people seem to say they are. We are very heavy users. YW have a chart of estimated water usage for different sized households and suggest how much you would use if you are low, average or high users. We have an acre of land, lots of animals to hose out and give drinking and swimming water to and its still cheaper on a meter than many years ago when I was in my average three bed semi on rateable value.

[bobmonkhouse]

Shocking increase considering the profits these companies make!

[chem1st]

If you have genuine concerns about how you might be able to afford the increase we may be able to assist you.

 

If we stop paying, you are unable to cut us off.

 

I am thinking of stopping paying. Not because of the increase, but because of the rain tax being charged unfairly.

 

Could you please clarify the rain tax.

 

If rain tax for property band A (under 500Sqm) is £40. Yet 8 flats constitute one building, that is still under 500Sqm. Then surely each flat should pay only £5 rain tax, rather than 8 lots of £40?

[Chez2]

If we stop paying, you are unable to cut us off.

 

I am thinking of stopping paying. Not because of the increase, but because of the rain tax being charged unfairly.

 

Could you please clarify the rain tax.

 

If rain tax for property band A (under 500Sqm) is £40. Yet 8 flats constitute one building, that is still under 500Sqm. Then surely each flat should pay only £5 rain tax, rather than 8 lots of £40?

 

What is rain tax? I've never heard of it. :huh:Are you talking about the charge to treat surface water run off (rain water that comes off your roof and into surface water sewers)? In most places this doesn't go to a combined fowl sewer so its indicated on your bill as a charge. I think I'm right in saying that if your rain water goes into a soak away in your garden then you don't have to pay the charge for surface (rain) water.

 

Is this what you mean or is there some new tax I don't know about?

[Jay69]

The increase in bills is largely down to inflation and means that Yorkshire Water’s customers will be paying about an extra £1.75 per month in 2012/13. The increase will help fund our ongoing investment programme and the good news is that South Yorkshire (and Sheffield in particular!) will benefit enormously from this.

 

For example, over the next three years we will be investing about £78 million at Blackburn Meadows Waste Water Treatment Works opposite Meadowhall that will deliver significant improvements to the quality of the River Don. We’re working in partnership with the Environment Agency, the Sheffield-based River Stewardship Company and the Don Catchment Rivers Trust.

 

We’re also investing tens of millions at other waste water treatment works like Woodhouse Mill at Rotherham and Old Whittington in Chesterfield.

 

On top of that we’re currently £14 million to improve Rivelin Water Treatment Works, where new treatment processes are being installed to protect customers’ drinking water supplies. This will benefit more than 100,000 homes.

 

Whilst we appreciate that this is coming at a difficult time for many people this increase will help us deliver significant benefits for the local environment.

 

If you have genuine concerns about how you might be able to afford the increase we may be able to assist you.

 

you have put a new fence up at the woodhouse mill site and thats all thats happened

Edited January 31, 2012 by Jay69

[Jay69]

What is rain tax? I've never heard of it. :huh:Are you talking about the charge to treat surface water run off (rain water that comes off your roof and into surface water sewers)? In most places this doesn't go to a combined fowl sewer so its indicated on your bill as a charge. I think I'm right in saying that if your rain water goes into a soak away in your garden then you don't have to pay the charge for surface (rain) water.

 

Is this what you mean or is there some new tax I don't know about?

 

yeap thats right you save around £35- £40 per year