Rising water costs another blow for consumers
Rising water costs another blow for consumers
- Monday, 1 March 2010Consumers experiencing
debt management issues as a result of rising costs may now be hit with added water bills, it has been reported.
The controversial scheme is being started by Southern Water, which will see customers in Sussex, Kent and Hampshire pay higher water rates in the summer but a lower rate in the winter.
The bills would go up six per cent during the four months between June and September, and down just two per cent for the remainder of the year.
Additional companies have also been looking at introducing similar tariff schemes, in a bid to encourage people to use less water.
A Southern Water spokesman said the tariff is not designed to penalise customers, as the charges should even themselves out over the course of the year if water use remains steady.
Yet Nicci Russell, policy director for independent lobby group Waterwise, told the Telegraph: "We would like to see evidence that this is really going to reduce water usage.
"This could be a blunt tool that hits many customers unduly. Maybe large families on low incomes could be the worst affected."
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