Jersey Water announced that charges would increase by 3.5% – 0.6% above the Island’s current RPI – at the start of 2022, the third time in the past 20 years that this had happened.
The increase – which comes as a result of the rising cost of energy, raw materials labour and transport due to Brexit and the pandemic – means average household water bills will increase by approximately three pence per day.
Helier Smith, chief executive of Jersey Water, said they were ‘mindful’ that water bill increases were ‘never welcome’.
The rise comes after Jersey Gas hiked its prices by 13.2% in October amid the escalating European-wide energy crisis which has already seen the collapse of a number of UK providers, following ‘significant increases in the cost of all forms of wholesale gas currently being experienced across the world’.
Mr Smith said: ‘The rising costs of energy, raw materials, labour, and transport have been well publicised in the media recently as industries react to the effects of Brexit, the pandemic and other macro-economic factors. The nature of Jersey Water’s activities means that price inflation in these areas has a direct impact on the company’s costs.
‘We are mindful that water bill increases are never welcome, and we do what we reasonably can to offset rising costs.
‘However, it is necessary for us to increase our prices by a modest amount and occasionally exceed RPI to maintain our ongoing and essential investment in the Island’s water supply.
‘During 2022 and beyond, the company will be focused on achieving further reductions in leakage, encouraging greater water efficiency, and developing additional water resources to safeguard water supplies in the future. These and further investments to maintain high water quality all build on the resilience and sustainability of Jersey’s water supply on which we all rely.’
Mr Smith added that any customer ‘worried about the impact of the increase of paying their water bill’ should contact the Jersey Water customer services team, who were ‘ready to work with and support any customer in financial hardship or who is having trouble paying their water bill’. They can be contacted on 01534 707301.
