Ofwat has provisionally approved an extra £3.4bn in bill increases across 13 water companies in England and Wales, on top of hikes already agreed in 2024. Southern Water customers face £43 more next year; South East Water's rise is just £1 by 2029. Some of the money covers maintenance, some funds new demand from housebuilding and data centres, and some addresses 'forever chemical' pollution.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham called it real money out of struggling family budgets, while campaign group River Action called the approval 'an insult' given decades of underinvestment, leaks, and pollution. Ofwat said it would track company performance to ensure promised improvements materialize, and the decision remains provisional pending public consultation and a final ruling in December. Companies had requested £4.3bn total; some spending was rejected.
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