Water costs more than Electricity!

Southern Water increased their waste water charges by nearly 11% in April 2012 and Ofwat just let them do it.

In April 2009 the rise was 6.4%; April 2010 it was 3.9% and April 2011 another 6.45%.
Since 2009, Southern Water's the waste water charge has been increased by a massive 33%.
Ofwat shoukld do what they are supposed to and regulate prices properly.

Southern Water are owned by a consortium made up of pension and infrastructure funds.
They obviously believe the lightl touch "regulated" company continues to offer an ongoing investment opportunity at the expense of British householders!

In contrast, Portsmouth Water has the lowest water charges in England and Wales and they have not increased their water supply charges since April 2009.
It is a same they don't do the waste water too!

My total water bill is £438 in 2012, more than my electricity bill of £411.

Re: Water costs more than Electricity!

Personally I think water bills are reasonable. Imagine life without water on tap and waste sewers at your beck and call.

Re: Water costs more than Electricity!

Hi Elbee. I can't remember what I paid when I lived in Horndean, but it was a lot more than I pay now. As I recall, drinking water was supplied by Portsmouth water and sewage was the responsibility of Southern Water.

Looking up the current council tax, I now pay less for Council tax, fresh water and sewage disposal combined, than I did for just council tax. It's also a bigger house and I pay one combined bill.

Mind you, I do pay more in electricity!

Re: Water costs more than Electricity!

I don't know about the UK but here a litre of bottled water costs more than petrol. (Mind you I rarely drink petrol.)

It's cheaper to buy a litre of home brand soft drink, throw the contents away and fill the bottle with water from the tap.

Re: Water costs more than Electricity!

Forgive me if i keep replying to some of your posts, but WATER ! fancy having to pay for it, ours comes from a Bore 90 meters down so Free.
we pay a Kommune tax, which covers , emptying the wheelie bins , waste and a paper one each week, emptying septic tank each year, upkeep of road and ploughing in the winter, and some gritting, sweeping the chimney each year. cost around £400 per year , a far cry from uk i think?

Re: Water costs more than Electricity!

True Graham but I think that other things are a lot more expensive in Norway from what I've heard although I've not been there. Friends of mine went skiing there and said the cost of going out for a drink was so expensive they hardly ever did. That is part of the holiday in many ski resorts in the Alps etc. I would think that generally the cost of living in Norway is higher than the UK eg the cost of buying a house etc but maybe salaries are higher too. Would be interested in a general synopsis if you are willing.

Re: Water costs more than Electricity!

Hi Dog Lover. We do get this quote , "Things are so Expensive " but of course that is from people that do not live in the country.
Norway is a very rich country, and that has got to be because of Oil, no getting away from it. Salaries are much higher than U K, an example of that is . When i did some work at a Local Tourist restaurant, mainly washing up . laying tables, doing some serving etc, so general dogs body, I got paid under the normal rate, my own choosing, and my rate of pay worked out at around £13 per hour, so not so bad, so if you think of this in terms of the working man/woman you can see how much they may earn, average for normal Job, office supervisor, shop manager around £4000 per month, when are you coming to live here???
Alcohol is Expensive, Norway did have a big drink problem years ago, so it is now very heavily taxed, still doesn't stop the lying down drunk though!. A 3Lt box of wine is around £30, bottle of Whiskey £20. can of Beer £5.50
Wine and spirits Can only be bought at the state Monopol, usually one in a town, beer has only just been allowed to be purchased in Supermarkets, but even with that strict monitoring of the age of the person wishing to buy, must have proof of Age, 18 for Beer and 21 for wine and spirits. All this is accepted as normal here.
Houses, possibly the reverse of the U k, a House close to a town or city will cost more money than one in the countryside, but even so they are generally cheaper here than U K . My House now with 2 acres of ground no neighbours in a site that would be much sought after in the U k is at present valued at around just £250,000, uk would be at least £1,500,000.
Fuel, well we have wood burner , which most people do, so wood for me costs nothing, there is plenty, well too much. Electricity is around £120 per month.
Car, well there you come into the Norwegian cost of living again, VERY expensive compared with U K, we have a Toyota Rav 4 3 years old bought new, cost , wait for it £45,000, lot of tax etc, etc,fuel for it around the same as u k.
Norway has what is now called the " Norwegian Pension Fund" this is the surplus from the oil revenue after costs and also after putting £25, 000,000 into the national budget, the amount now in that fund, would wipe out the U K national debt and have some over, it is worth billions of pounds and increasing every year. It is supposed to be going to be used for the pensions for future Norwegians.
Any more info, will be grateful to supply

Re: Water costs more than Electricity!

Many thanks for that Graham very interesting. It sounds as though your basics are cheaper although electricity sounds expensive as I pay £94 a month for gas and electric combined in a 3 bed semi. Salaries are obviously higher but you need it if you want to buy a car or booze !

Thanks

Re: Water costs more than Electricity!

There's absolutely no need; we are well informed about Norway apart from being the home of the Norwegian Blue Parrot.

Re: Water costs more than Electricity!

That is cheap for your fuel costs , I was paying £80 per month in the U k in 2005