NI Water announce 2024/25 charges
20 March 2024 11:01
NI Water has announced that from 1st April 2024, non-domestic water and sewerage charges will rise by 4.7% on average.
NI Water Director of Finance, Regulation & Commercial, Ronan Larkin, commented:
“We are aware this is a challenging time for businesses and the economy. Like many of our business customers, NI Water continues to face significant financial pressures from continued high energy prices, high inflationary conditions, and other cost increases.
“Whilst any increase is of course unwelcome, we have worked hard to ensure most of our customers will see their bills rise by less than inflation.[1] Specific bill changes operate according to a formula agreed with the Northern Ireland Utility Regulator.
"NI Water continues to invest in water and drainage infrastructure to support health, the economy and the environment in Northern Ireland. Sustained investment in maintaining and growing this infrastructure is important to continue to meet the needs of all our customers.
“Measured bills will rise by 4.1%, while unmeasured and trade effluent bills will rise by 5.3% and 6.8% respectively.
“NI Water is mindful of the impact of price rises and it is therefore important that customers who may need extra help with their bill communicate with us as soon as possible. Our billing team will be on hand to offer guidance.
“Customers can access our online self-service portal when paying a bill, managing account(s), or viewing water consumption details.”
Leaflets will be mailed to non-domestic customers to notify them of the forthcoming pricing changes and how they will be applied.
Customers can access further information about our charges on NI Water’s website at www.niwater.com. Anyone with questions about their bill or our charges can phone our Billing Enquiries Team on 03458 770030.
ENDS
For media enquiries, please contact NI Water Press Office press.office@niwater.com
Notes to editors
- The price limits used by NI Water to set regulated prices exclude inflation. The Utility Regulator, responsible for determining price limits, uses Retail Price Index (RPI) as its main measure of inflation.
- The RPI measure of inflation used is based on November 2023 RPI which stood at 5.3%, however energy prices and other opex costs remain higher than inflation.
- NI Water is required to annually review the charges levied for water and sewerage services and agree them with the Utility Regulator in order that customers pay the fairest rate for the water and sewerage services they receive.
- The need to raise tariffs reflects the impact rising inflation has had on the cost of providing water and sewerage services to customers.
- Measured customers are charged for water and sewerage based on a meter reading. Unmeasured customers are charged based on the Net Annual Value (NAV) of their premises.
- While the value of a customer’s bill will vary depending on the amount of water used or the value (NAV), the following are typical examples of how customers may be impacted by these increases:
Typical measured customer examples
- A shop or small office unit, connected to sewer, using 285M³ of water, will pay £496, a rise of £19 per year. - A medium size factory, connected to sewer, using 1,300M³ of water, will pay £4,562, a rise of £178 per year. - Farmer using 400M³ of water, with septic tank, will pay £357, a rise of £12.
Typical unmeasured customer examples
- Small to medium shop or office unit, with a NAV of £8,000, connected to sewer, will pay £385, a rise of £19.
- Due to the continuing deferment of domestic charges, eligible measured water and sewerage customers will continue to avail of a domestic allowance which will reduce their water and sewerage bill. As it is not possible to offer a volumetric domestic allowance to unmeasured customers, unmeasured water and sewerage charges will continue to be billed at one half of the full charge.
- Non-domestic customers include: small, medium and large businesses, farms, industrial users, voluntary organisations and charities, public bodies, churches and non-household use properties.