Surface water Charges doubled in 3 Years

[IWalkLikeHimaMartian]

Anyone else noticed, that although used water/standing charges and sewerage charges have not really changed much in ten years, surface water charges have as good as doubled in the last three years?

All the rear of our property goes to a soakaway. Perhaps it is time to feed the front of the property into the same soakaway and do away with surface water charges.

 

[IWalkLikeHimaMartian]

I have just looked at my last ten years data, (I have kept the data on a spreadsheet, as I do with all fuel/water bills). There has been little change in used and therefore sewerage amounts over the last ten years. These pie graphs are based on charges, not usage or quantities.
Separating the last ten years into the first seven years and the last three years, this is what the change looks like:
The first seven years:

And the last three years:

Perhaps not a doubling of surface water charges but quite a noticeable difference, and of course, the surface water, we have no control over.

 

[Mikefromlondon]

Totally agree with you, massive rise if you think, if everyone started to do that they will push up other charges, as well as suffer blocked drains, flow of heavy rain water really helps clear some of the debris in main drains. They would be the ones to suffer.

 

[Deleted member 63160]

Totally agree with you, massive rise if you think, if everyone started to do that they will push up other charges, as well as suffer blocked drains, flow of heavy rain water really helps clear some of the debris in main drains.

That's interesting. I was told that heavy rain was responsible for putting more crap down the drains as well as compacting debris. I suppose either could happen?

 

[Mikefromlondon]

In some instances it can actually block as you said, in others it flushes out debris, power flushing works on the same principle, water is jetted in pipework with force that dislodges debris, and moves it out, or sometimes it also does the opposite, same way heavy rain causes extra flow pressure and drags bigger stuck items along. I was aware of my local water company wanting to bill ,me for an empty property on nil usage but on surface water charges!

 

[IWalkLikeHimaMartian]

I was aware of my local water company wanting to bill ,me for an empty property on nil usage but on surface water charges!

Surface water charges are for disposing of the rain that falls on your property. It happens on empty properties too, even when there is no-one there.
Used water charges are self-explanatory.
Sewerage charges are for getting rid of the water that you have used, so if used water goes up, so do sewerage charges.
And standing charge is for equipment supply, meter, etc.

So Standing charges and Surface water charges apply even if the property is empty.

 

[HawkEye244]

Greed - the usual

 

[maltaron]

All my rainwater is stored in IBC tanks and most used for toilet flushing and garden, surplus rainwater and surface water goes into the river adjacent to my bungalow. Therefore I do not pay surface water charges but do have to divert some road drainage via my property.

 

[big-all]

percentages dont tell the whole story
it would be better to quote year on year increases in costs
when i had a water meter fitted my bill halved so the standing charges and other charges would probably double as a percentage whilst the water consumption would reduce by say 75% even though the standing charges havent moved by more than around 5%