Today’s announcement by Ofwat has stated that water bills could soar by £86 in 2025-2026, representing a shocking 20% increase. And if you are a customer of Thames Water, bills are set to rise by £152 by 2029-2030, an increase of 35%. 

Angered by today’s announcement, MP for Epsom and Ewell, Helen Maguire, said: 

“This is a shameful national scandal, and it strikes right here in Epsom and Ewell. While inept water companies load themselves with crushing debt, our local community is left to deal with the consequences.” 

“Just this week our community has been dealing with a water outage that has lasted for days. Literally turning the taps to find no water or low pressure. Local schools, such as Nonsuch, have been forced to close early, disrupting our children’s education. Meanwhile, the River Mole suffers from shameful pollution which gets worse every year, threatening wildlife and the environment we treasure” 

“It’s utterly outrageous that as we face these continued challenges, executives in the water industry continue to rake in bonuses, expecting Epsom and Ewell residents to foot the bill for their failures.” 

A local Epsom resident wrote to Maguire this morning expressing their outrage: 

“I am angry and alarmed at today’s huge water bill increases, and I urge you to demand that the government stop these hikes until all criminal investigations into water companies are completed and their finances fully examined. It is shocking, in the midst of a cost of living crisis, to be asked to pay more while wealthy shareholders continue to extract money, and we remain cheated of the reliable water and sewage treatment we deserve. 

“We have no choice in who provides our water and sewerage services; we are captive customers and therefore powerless. The water industry has already received all the investment it needs to fund the infrastructure upgrades required by law, with over £17 billion spare—so why are we being asked to pay again? 

Maguire and her fellow Lib Dem MPs believe it’s time to finally get rid of Ofwat and replace it with a stronger, more effective regulator, and to introduce a single social tariff that ensures no family in any community around the UK is pushed into water poverty.”