Families with bigger gardens could also see growing water bills

2023-07-12

Families with bigger gardens could also see growing water bills, Thames Water boss warns

Co-interim CEO Cathryn Ross suggested higher income families could pay more

Families with bigger gardens could also see growing water bills, the boss of Thames Water has warned.

It was suggested by the water company’s co-interim CEO Cathryn Ross that high income families could pay more for water – as they may use more – in a bid to fund the improvement of utilities.

‘We’re looking for proxies for relatively high income households,’ she told Bloomberg at following a London Assembly environment committee meeting.

‘One of those proxies might be big gardens, and therefore high levels of water use.’

Speaking to the committee, Ms Ross suggested that a ‘progressive charging system for water’ could be introduced to limit price increases for those who can’t afford it, according to The Telegraph.

‘I think that might unlock the ability for us to put up water bills for those people who can pay while not putting up quite so much for people who can’t,’ she said.

It was suggested by the water company’s co-interim chief executive officer Cathryn Ross that high income families could pay more for water to improve utilities

Speaking to the committee, Ms Ross suggested that a ‘progressive charging system for water’ could be introduced to limit price increases for those who can’t afford it

It comes after it was revealed late last month that the Government was drawing up contingency plans for the potential collapse of Thames Water after its boss Sarah Bentley dramatically quit.

Ms Ross is took over Ms Bentley’s role following her exit as co-chief executive officer alongside Alastair Cochran.

Britain’s biggest water company, which serves 15 million customers, has been holding talks on fresh funding to secure its long-term future as it battles to survive amid its crippling £14 billion debt.

Thames last year suffered its worst leakage rate in five years, with an estimated 630million litres of water a day escaping from its ageing network of pipes.

Thames Water has often come under fire for its record on sewage and leaks. At the same time, executives have continued to be paid large bonuses and hundreds of millions of pounds have been dished out in dividends to shareholders.

Ms Bentley’s dramatically resignation was a move observers said had worsened the ‘perilous situation’.

While the firm did not give a reason for the abrupt resignation, sources told the Mail a row over company strategy may have precipitated her departure.

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