Welsh Liberal Democrats Condemn Hafren Dyfrdwy’s 9% Water Bill Hike
The Welsh Liberal Democrats have strongly criticised plans by Hafren Dyfrdwy to increase household water bills by a staggering 9% from April, warning that families across north-east and mid-Wales are being asked to pay more while standards continue to fall.
The increase is significantly higher than the national average rise of 5.4% and comes at a time when many households are already struggling with the cost-of-living crisis. Customers served by Hafren Dyfrdwy face an average annual bill of £635, representing one of the sharpest percentage increases anywhere in England and Wales.
The announcement will anger residents who continue to raise concerns about sewage pollution, river quality, and reliability of supply. Communities across Montgomeryshire and neighbouring areas have repeatedly reported rivers being polluted by sewage discharges, alongside incidents of supply disruption and poor communication from water companies.
Despite these ongoing problems, customers are now being told they must pay substantially more, while profits and shareholder returns remain protected under the current system.
The Welsh Liberal Democrats argue that the structure of the water industry is fundamentally broken. They say households should not be expected to bankroll years of under-investment and environmental damage caused by private water companies, particularly when rivers remain polluted and enforcement is weak.
The party is calling for radical reform of water regulation, including the replacement of Ofwat with a powerful new Welsh regulator that puts customers, communities and the environment first. Welsh Liberal Democrats also support a move toward mutual ownership, ensuring that money paid by customers is reinvested into infrastructure and environmental protection, rather than extracted for profit.
Commenting, Cllr Glyn Preston, Welsh Liberal Democrat Senedd Candidate for Montgomeryshire, said:
“Asking families in Montgomeryshire and across north-east Wales to swallow a 9% rise in water bills is completely unacceptable. People are already stretched to breaking point, yet they’re being told to pay more while rivers are polluted and basic services continue to fall short.
“Households should not be footing the bill for years of failure by private water companies. This system rewards shareholders while customers are left paying more for less, and our environment continues to suffer.
“The Welsh Liberal Democrats believe we need far more than tinkering around the edges. We need a complete overhaul of how water is run and regulated in Wales, with a regulator that has real teeth, and a system that ensures money is invested back into infrastructure and protecting our rivers, not siphoned off as profit.
“Water is a basic necessity, not a luxury. People in Montgomeryshire deserve a system that works for them, not one that keeps asking them to pay more while standards decline.”
ENDS
