The high water bills in the South West, compared to the rest of the UK, has been one of the biggest issues in the region for the last 20 years. It is something many in Devon and Cornwall have been campaigning on all our careers. We are now within touching distance of solving this injustice.
The problem stems back to the privatisation of the water industry over two decades ago. Unlike the other utilities, water was split into regional monopolies so customers have not benefited from any price competition. Other factors created high prices; South West Water gained responsibility for the upkeep of almost a third of Britain’s coastline; it has to sustain this with only three percent of the country’s population. You then have to add the problem that the water infrastructure in the South West was far less advanced than other regions; requiring South West Water to raise even more over the years to bring the region up to standard.
Despite the obvious unfairness, the issue was not tackled by Government for a number of years. After a long campaign, we finally gained in 2008 the commission of an independent report to look into this, it published its conclusions in 2009 and finally in the 2011 Budget, the Government announced its intention to resolve the problem.
The proposal is to provide £40million every year to reduce the average bill by £50 a year. The formal consultation process has now concluded and all that remains is for the Government to pass legislation to authorise the payments. This is likely to be in force to allow the first discounts to reach customers in April 2013. Water bills have been increasing for all customers across the country in recent years but this change will bring the South West more into line with prices elsewhere in the country.
