Frequently asked questions
This page offers answers to the most frequently asked billing questions.
How much have bills increased?
Bills for unmetered customers rose an average of 5.44%.
The average domestic water bill is now £304, up £16 from 2007/08.
Bills for metered customers increased 6.8% with the average domestic water now at £268, up £14 from 2007/08.
Why have bills gone up above the rate of inflation?
Our bills rose 1.3% above the rate of inflation (4.3%).
Bills for metered customers increased 6.8%.
This price increase was determined by our regulator Ofwat, under a five-year price plan.
How is my water bill worked out?
Most bills include charges for wastewater services.
The charge for each service has two parts: a fixed charge and a variable charge.
The fixed charge covers costs that don't change, like maintaining pipework.
The variable charge for metered homes is based on the amount of water used.
The variable charge for unmetered homes is based on the rateable value of the property.
Can I pay my bill online?
You can pay your bill on our website with Mastercard, Visa, Maestro or Solo.
Can I receive my bill electronically?
If you bank with Lloyds TSB, Natwest or the Royal Bank of Scotland, you can receive, track, store and pay bills with your online bank. You don't even have to have an online bank account to sign-up for this service.
Would I pay less if I had a meter?
Water meters are the fairest way to charge for water as they directly link cost to consumption, therefore you can influence the size of your bill.
How can I request a meter?
You can apply for a water meter online or by calling our Customer Centre on 0845 9200 888.
I applied for a water meter but was told my property isn't suitable. Will I pay higher water bills?
If your home is not suitable for a water meter we'll apply the Assessed Household Charge.
This is a tiered charging system based on the size of your property.
The charges are less than the average metered household charge.
Properties with one bedroom are charged £200. Two bedrooms £217, and three or more £266.
If you build a new reservoir in Oxfordshire, will bills increase even more?
Not in the current price review period.
We agree five-year periods with our regulator Ofwat. The current price review period ends in 2009/10.
Ofwat will determine the appropriate prices for 2010-2015.
Your projects seem focused on London. Why should Thames Valley customers pay for benefits we don't enjoy?
We are committed to sharing costs and benefits fairly across all our customers.
Our charges are based on the overall cost of providing water and sewerage services across the whole of our region and do not reflect local differences.
The cost per head to supply London customers is lower than that for the Thames Valley. In London people live closer together so infrastructure costs less.
A large network brings economies of scale that we're proud to pass on to all our customers, regardless of where they live.
