Islanders to pay more for water from April

Islanders to pay more for water from April

A number of planned investment initiatives for 2018, which are expected to cost £3,000,000, include an extension of the mains water network, water quality improvements, leakage reduction and investment in the company’s IT systems.

Ongoing maintenance of its reservoirs, treatment works and its network of 580 km of water mains were also cited as reasons for the increased charges.

Helier Smith, chief executive at Jersey Water, said that the 2.74 per cent increase in charges was the ‘equivalent of three pence per day for the average household’.

Mr Smith said that Jersey Water had had a policy of ‘keeping price increases to a minimum whenever possible’, at or below inflation.

He added: ‘Over the last ten years this policy has seen a real-terms reduction in the price of water of approximately nine per cent, after inflation.’

‘During 2018, we will be updating our water resources management plan, which aims to forecast the Islands’ demand for water over the next 25 years and determine whether the Island has sufficient water resources to meet the forecast demand.’

‘The first phase of the project will be completed towards the end of 2018.’

Jersey Water’s previous project, which was completed in 2010, resulted in the extension of a desalination plant, and the implementation of island-wide water metering.

Mr Smith said: ‘Since the introduction of water metering, over 94 per cent of our customers now pay for water by meter. More than half saw a reduction in their bills as a result of the switch and all are encouraged to reduce their bills further using Jersey Water’s free online water-savings calculator.’

The calculator is designed to provide water and energy-saving tips and recommends water-saving
devices to help reduce water consumption in the home.

Those devices are available via the Jersey Water website jerseywater.je.

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