Two in five households will find it difficult to afford looming water price increases

The water watchdog has warned that two in five households will struggle to pay projected increases in water bills.

Regulator Ofwat has previously said bills will rise by an average of £19 a year (21 per cent) by 2030.

But water companies want to increase bills by as much as 84 per cent over the same period if Ofwat allows it.

A survey by the Consumer Council for Water (CCW) found that 18 percent of consumers are already struggling to pay their water bills.

Forty percent said they would have a hard time affording a 21 percent bill increase, let alone a higher bill.

Of this 40 percent:

• 43 percent said they would have to use less water.
• 54 percent said they would cut non-essential bills to afford water.
• 38 percent said they would spend less on essentials, such as buying food.

CCW surveyed 9,500 customers of 19 water companies.

CCW chief executive Mike Keil said: “The extent to which water availability will affect people in the future is quite frightening.”

How to save on your water bills

Consider a water meter

Around 40 per cent of households in England and Wales do not have a water meter, and some could save money on their water bills by installing one.

Purchasing a water meter is usually the best way to save on bills for those who don’t use above average amounts of water.

Not everyone will save money with a meter, but water companies usually give you two years to test one and let you go back if you’re unhappy.

KNO has calculator this will help you figure out whether a water meter can save you money.

However, the rule of thumb is that your water bill can lower your bills if you live in a home with a high “assessed value” (the formula used to set estimated water bills), don’t use a lot of water, or live alone.

Use less water if you can.

If you have a water meter installed, using less water means paying lower bills.

Water bills for homes equipped with these meters consist of a fee for the water used, as well as daily recurring charges.

But using less water also means lower energy bills, since most of the water used in homes is heated first.

Check if you are eligible for social tariff

Each water company in England and Wales has its own social tariff scheme to help low-income customers.

But who is eligible and the level of support offered varies greatly from company to company. In some cases, bills can be reduced by as much as 90 percent.

CCW has a list social tariffs and criteria on your website.

For example, Thames Water’s social tariff is called Water Help.

This cuts water bills by 50 percent for homes where water costs account for more than 5 percent of their net income.

Almost two million homes – or 15 per cent – are eligible for social water tariffs but have not signed up for any, according to CCW.

Consider the WaterSure scheme

WaterSure is a government program run by water companies to discount bills for eligible households in England and Wales.

To be eligible, a household must have certain benefits such as Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit or income-related Employment and Support Allowance.

Most of the benefits on the list are intended for people with low incomes.

A household subscribing to WaterSure will also require large amounts of water, either for medical reasons or because there are many small children in the household.

They must also either have a water meter or be on a waiting list to purchase one.

WaterSure provides discounts on both water and sewer.

To apply, you will need to fill out a form from your water company and will likely need to prove that you receive benefits and have a qualifying medical condition.