Southern Water is “considering bill rises of 73%” which will see their customers paying an extra £279 each year.
The plans being considered accounts for inflation which means every household will pay and average of 73% more by the end of this decade.
Katy Taylor, chief customer officer of Southern Water, said, “We regularly listen to the views of customers from across our region when we plan future investment in our network, and we discuss the possible impacts on bills.
“We know our communities want to see us investing to improve our environmental outcomes and to do it wisely, but we also recognise the concerns about rising payments in the face of a cost-of-living crisis.
“This is why it is important we work together with our communities, in finding the right balance.”
Cat Hobbs is the director of We Own It said, “This absolute scandal makes it crystal clear that our privatised water system is broken.
“No wonder people are outraged to the point of boycott. Instead of forcing customers to pay even more, it’s time to take Southern back into public ownership.
“Shareholders the other side of the world don’t care that beaches in southern England are covered in sewage.
“We should copy Scotland – investment by publicly-owned Scottish Water is 35% higher and rivers and seas are cleaner as a result.
“Water is the stuff of life, it should be run for people not profit.”
