The average Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water household customer bill will increase by 27% for 2025-26, from £503 to £639.
This comes as the company prepares for a new investment period for 2025-30, which will see a step change in investment. More than £4bn will be invested in services including £2.5bn on projects to improve the environment.
The price increase comes following a period of fifteen years when the company kept price rises below the rate of inflation and compares to an industry average rise of 26%.
Customers will now pay an average of £1.75 a day for drinking water that is consistently ranked as equal highest quality in the world.
This investment will fund work to reduce pollution, upgrade and build new vital assets, reduce leakage, and improve water quality. The work will create 2,000 new jobs in our supply chain.
Some of the schemes that will be started during 2025-26 include improving river quality in Corwen, Llanfoist, Letterston and Lampeter, work on 23 storm overflows, 75km of mains replaced, mostly in west Wales and work to upgrade the dams at Cwm Celyn, Usk, Cwmwernderi Tower and Craig Goch.
Welsh Water has a range of support available to customers who are struggling to pay their bills.
The company contributes £14m a year to maintain the company’s social tariffs schemes that help those who are struggling, by limiting the amount they pay.
The schemes currently support 150,000 customers, with Welsh Water’s not-for-profit model funding £73m over the next 5 years for our financial support packages. Over the past five years £64m has been used to fund social tariffs.
Customers who receive means-tested benefits can apply for the The HelpU tariff that helps the lowest income households, whilst the WaterSure Wales tariff caps the annual metered bill, so you won’t pay over a certain amount for the year.
Support is also available for working households who are struggling to make ends meet through the Cymuned scheme.
One customer who has benefited from Welsh Water’s social tariffs is Bianca Lepore from Cardiff.
Bianca said: “I save over £280 a year on my water bill through WaterSure Wales. I have a water meter, and the scheme caps the amount I pay.
“This support is a great help to our family. I’m a mother who works part time, I have a child with a disability, and we use more than the average amount of water.
“I’d encourage anyone who thinks they could be eligible for a social tariff to talk to the team at Welsh Water.”
