Lanarkshire householders will see their water charges rise by 4.2 per cent from April – with utility officials warning that that further increases will be required to meet service challenges in future years.
It means water bills for 2022/2023 will range from £318.96 for properties in council tax band A up to £956.88 for those in band H, with the band D cost coming in at £478.44.
The sum is collected alongside council tax; which will be set this month, with residents in North Lanarkshire set to find out their new bills at a special assembly of the local authority on February 17 and the South Lanarkshire budget meeting scheduled for February 23.
Scottish Water say the price rise will equate to “an average bill increase of 31 pence per week” and that the percentage increase was are set with reference to the consumer price index inflation figure as at October 2021.
Chief executive Douglas Millican told Lanarkshrie Live: “We understand there needs to be a balance between the need for higher levels of investment and the financial challenges faced by households at the present time.
“We have set charges at a level that takes account of those, while being open and clear that charges will need to increase further in future years.”
He continued: “Higher levels of investment are needed to protect services now and over the long term, particularly in meeting the challenges of more intense rainfall, flooding and drought, and reducing carbon emissions.
“Customers rely on our services for their daily water needs and to take away and clean the water they use; over the past two years those services have been vital to maintaining public health during the pandemic.
“The quality of Scotland’s drinking water remains very high and we are investing to protect the environment from pollution.”
Charges will also increase by 4.2 per cent for licensed providers who supply businesses and other non-domestic customers.
Scottish Water serves 2.6m households across the country with 1.5bn litres of water daily plus the removal and cleaning of a further billion litres of used and surface water; and is the UK’s fourth-largest water services provider.
The annual charges raise almost £1bn per year for services, infrastructure and environmental protection; and the utility firm says increased investment is needed to address “the impact of climate change, carbon emissions and [ensuring] reliable and resilient services”.
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