Water bills across England and Wales rose on 1 April 2026 by an average of 5.4%, with some customers facing double-digit increases. The rises follow Ofwat's five-year price review, which allowed water companies to raise bills significantly to fund infrastructure investment.

The new charging year that began on 1 April 2026 brings some of the largest water bill increases in a generation. Ofwat's PR24 price review, finalised in late 2024, permitted average bill rises of around 26% over the five-year period from 2025 to 2030 — roughly 5% per year after inflation.

Which companies raised bills the most?

Severn Trent Water customers in the Midlands and parts of the East Midlands face an increase of around 10% from April 2026, taking the typical annual bill to approximately £500. The company cited investment in reducing leakage and improving reservoir infrastructure as the primary justification.

Bristol Water customers are among the hardest hit, with bills rising by around 12% — one of the steepest increases of any company this year. Bristol Water has been investing heavily in treatment upgrades at its Barrow and Purton works following DWI improvement notices.

Affinity Water, which supplies large parts of Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, and Essex, is increasing bills by approximately 13% — the highest percentage rise among the major companies. The firm is under a DWI improvement notice related to nitrates and must invest in new treatment capacity across several zones in the Chilterns area.

Why are bills rising so sharply?

The increases reflect a decade of under-investment that regulators and the government are now trying to address. Ofwat's price review set a total investment envelope of £88 billion across the industry between 2025 and 2030 — the largest infrastructure programme in the sector's history.

Key drivers include:

  • Replacing Victorian-era water mains that cause leakage rates of up to 25% in some networks
  • Upgrading treatment works to remove PFAS (forever chemicals), which require expensive granular activated carbon or reverse osmosis technology
  • Improving monitoring and incident reporting systems following DWI enforcement action against multiple companies
  • Meeting stricter nitrate and phosphorus standards under updated environmental regulations

Help for customers who cannot afford their bills

The WaterSure scheme provides a bill cap for eligible customers — specifically those on a water meter who use a high volume of water for medical or large-family reasons. Customers must apply to their water company directly. Income-related social tariffs are also available from most companies, though the qualifying criteria and discount levels vary considerably.

Customers who are struggling should contact their water company's affordability team. Priority services registers also exist for those with specific needs such as critical medical requirements.

Source: Ofwat PR24 final determination; individual water company bill announcements April 2026.