WATER bills will go up by an inflation-busting 15.5% in January to fund a £48m investment programme over the next five years to mitigate against the effects of climate change, limited storage capacity and expected increases in population.
Jersey Water has today announced its strategy for 2026-2030, which is designed to respond to a potential water deficit of 8.6 million litres a day during severe drought within the next ten years – which equates to almost half the Island’s daily consumption.
To pay for it, the average household can expect to pay almost £60 more next year for water, with further above-average increases likely from 2027.
The investment between now and 2030 includes £26m to increase the capacity of the existing desalination plant at La Moye by 50%, £3.7m on smart technologies, including next-generation meters, and replacing 6 km of the mains network.
Nearly £2m has been allocated for the first two years of the strategy to cover interim treatment for PFAS and trialling of long-term treatment solutions.
The utility said it would continue to explore other ways to increase supply, including water recycling – which is, in effect, treating the outflow from the Bellozanne treatment works and pumping back into reservoirs – building a new desalination plant, potentially at St Catherine, and expanding reservoir capacity.
The most likely scenario, were that to happen, would be raising the height of the Val de la Mare dam to flood more of its valleys. The company say that this would be an expensive and lengthy project and it is keen to exhaust all other options to meet demand – including reducing leaks and encouraging Islanders to use less water – before committing to expanding Val de la Mare, or building a new one.
Jersey Water chief executive officer Helier Smith said: “We are at a pivotal point for Jersey Water and the Island’s water supply. The important decisions and investments we make now will shape the future of water supply for all of us and for decades to come, as we respond to very real challenges, including the impact of climate change on our weather patterns, changing demographics, water quality challenges and finite water resources.
“We have seen all too well this summer, the fourth warmest on record for Jersey, just how vulnerable the Island is to drought. We have listened to what our customers need and expect from us and our priority, as it has always been, is to keep supplying them with water they can trust and rely upon, today and every day.
“We know that any bill increase will be difficult for some customers, especially in the current climate, but these are strategic investments to ensure we can continue to provide our critical public service, and we will provide support for customers experiencing financial hardship.”
