Changes to our charges

To help us deliver the required improvements in our services, our charges increased in 2025. This meant that bills increased last year by around 20% on average.

From 1 April 2026, our charges for sewerage services have increased again. This is mainly due to a further step up in investment to fund schemes to upgrade the sewerage network across our region. Our regulator, Ofwat, has approved this investment.

However, our standard water supply charges have fallen slightly.

Overall, based on these changes to charges, the average bill for combined water and sewerage services will increase by 3% in 2026.

Please note this is an average figure. Actual changes will vary depending on:

• the type of services you receive
• whether you are metered or unmetered
• your water usage (if metered).

You can also view our full charges for 2026-27 for more information on how the individual parts of your bill have changed compared to last year.

We are currently unable to say exactly how much bills will change in future years, as they will be affected by things such as inflation and how we perform over the next year.

We also asked the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to review Ofwat's decision on our 2025-2030 business plan.

The CMA has now concluded its review. Its decisions on our investment requirements will be reflected in bills from April 2027 onwards. This year's charges are not affected by the CMA's review.

For metered customers, changes in bills can be affected by:

• how much water you use - households that use more water will see larger increases. Furthermore, if your usage has increased since your last bill, this will also affect how much your bill has increased by

• the time of year you receive your bill - this affects how long the new charges have been applied. Usage also tends to be higher in the summer months. You can check your bill to confirm the period it covers

• any outstanding balance that may be owed - this would be added to your new bill (based on the charges applicable at the time of usage).

For unmetered customers, the change in bills depends on the rateable value of your property.

Households with higher rateable values will generally see slightly larger increases.

If your water or sewerage services are provided by another company, your overall bill increase is likely to be different.

This is because each company’s charges have changed by different amounts, reflecting each company’s specific requirements as well as Ofwat’s decision on their business plan.

Bristol Water customers can visit their website for a summary of relevant water charges.

If you used more water in the previous billing period before your meter was read, your Direct Debit might not cover the new amount.

We may need to increase your Direct Debit to cover the balance that is owed after reading your meter. An increase in water usage could also impact your future payments.

If you have a meter, you can reduce your usage and save money by following our water saving advice.