Office
of Water Services OFWAT - Protecting the interests of water customers
About
the Office of Water Services - OFWAT
The
OFWAT vision
Their vision is for a water industry that delivers a world-class
service, representing best value to customers now and in the future.
The
OFWAT mission
Their mission is to regulate in a way that provides incentives and
encourages the companies to achieve a world-class service in terms
of quality and value for customers in England and Wales.
What
do OFWAT do?
The companies OFWAT regulate supply most households
in England and Wales. They set price limits at a level that allows
well-managed companies to finance the services they deliver. They
set price limits that are as high as they need to be, but no higher.
They will allow water companies to meet your needs and the needs
of the environment while continuing to deliver a safe and reliable
service.
OFWAT
set a limit on the average change that companies can make to your
bill in each year. They last set price limits in December 2004 for
the five years 2005-06 to 2009-10. Each year OFWAT publish a water
and sewerage bills leaflet setting out the price limits and the
effect they have on the average bill. Average
bills since privatisation (1989-90) have increased to allow companies
to finance improved quality standards and service levels. The increase
would have been far greater if the companies had not become more
efficient in response to regulation. We require companies to make
demanding efficiency improvements and we give them incentives to
outperform them. Companies pass these benefits of efficiency on
to customers, which results in bills being lower than they would
be otherwise.
In
2005 the average daily cost for water and sewerage services is 76p
for households. A litre of tap water, supplied and taken away, costs
just 0.17p. OFWAT check that individual charges are fair to different
types of customers – metered or unmeasured customers, large
users or small users, and those in towns or in rural areas.
Your
water bill will vary depending on where you live. For details of
average household bills across England and Wales, see ht eOFWAT
'Water and sewerage bills' leaflet. The next price review will take
place in 2009.
Ofwat,
Centre City Tower,
7 Hill Street,
Birmingham
B5 4UA
Telephone:
+44 (0)121 625 1300
Facsimile: +44 (0)121 625 1400
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