Guardian Unlimited
Householders will be hit with above-inflation increases in their water
bills
this year, a consumer group warned today.

The average price hike will be 7% rising to up to 13% for South West
Water
customers, according to the Consumer Council for Water. Folkestone and
Dover
Water is set to increase prices by as much as 10.5% even though its
customers will probably face water restrictions.

The company has applied to make water meters compulsory for the
householders
it supplies because of dry conditions in the south east, CCWater said.
United Utilities customers will see bills go up by around 9.5% after the
increases come into force on April 1.

Further price hikes are likely to follow over the coming decade to bring
the
company in line with EU requirements, according to CCWater. The consumer
group said its figures, sourced from the regulator Ofwat, masked large
differences in prices paid by customers on water meters and those paying
an
unmeasured rate.

Smaller households and those with a high rateable value are usually
better
off switching to a water meter, the consumer group said. It warns that
the
next round of price hikes could leave some customers struggling to pay
their
water bills.

Figures for 2004-2005 showed that £962m of bill revenue was outstanding
to
water companies during that year - £562m of it more than 12 months old.
That
was a 17% increase on the situation in 1998-99, CCWater said.

Some 4.4m households have had bills outstanding for up to 48 months,
according to Ofwat figures from August 2005. Dame Yve Buckland, chair of
CCWater, said:
"Customers finding it hard to pay should contact their company as soon
as
they are aware of the problem.

"Companies can arrange flexible payment plans, or help to clear
outstanding
charges by taking deductions direct from benefits."

The consumer group advises householders to look at ways of saving water
without cutting back on essential usage and to apply for a vulnerable
customer tariff if appropriate.

Barrie Clarke, spokesman for Water UK which represents all the water
companies, said the price increases were agreed by the regulator
following a
thorough review in 2004.

"They will make investments possible in the quality of water and our
environment that will be of benefit to all customers," he said. "We too
are
concerned that price rises for some people with low incomes may cause a
difficulty and we would urge any customers in that position to contact
their
water company so that they can discuss the best way of helping them to
pay."

CCWater is the statutory water consumer body in England and Wales.
Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2006

Ophelia wrote:
Guardian Unlimited
Householders will be hit with above-inflation increases in their water
bills
this year, a consumer group warned today.

The average price hike will be 7% rising to up to 13% for South West
Water
customers, according to the Consumer Council for Water. Folkestone and
Dover
Water is set to increase prices by as much as 10.5% even though its
customers will probably face water restrictions.

The company has applied to make water meters compulsory for the
householders
it supplies because of dry conditions in the south east, CCWater said.
United Utilities customers will see bills go up by around 9.5% after the
increases come into force on April 1.

Further price hikes are likely to follow over the coming decade to bring
the
company in line with EU requirements, according to CCWater. The consumer
group said its figures, sourced from the regulator Ofwat, masked large
differences in prices paid by customers on water meters and those paying
an
unmeasured rate.

Smaller households and those with a high rateable value are usually
better
off switching to a water meter, the consumer group said. It warns that
the
next round of price hikes could leave some customers struggling to pay
their
water bills.

Figures for 2004-2005 showed that £962m of bill revenue was outstanding
to
water companies during that year - £562m of it more than 12 months old.
That
was a 17% increase on the situation in 1998-99, CCWater said.

Some 4.4m households have had bills outstanding for up to 48 months,
according to Ofwat figures from August 2005. Dame Yve Buckland, chair of
CCWater, said:
"Customers finding it hard to pay should contact their company as soon
as
they are aware of the problem.

"Companies can arrange flexible payment plans, or help to clear
outstanding
charges by taking deductions direct from benefits."

The consumer group advises householders to look at ways of saving water
without cutting back on essential usage and to apply for a vulnerable
customer tariff if appropriate.

Barrie Clarke, spokesman for Water UK which represents all the water
companies, said the price increases were agreed by the regulator
following a
thorough review in 2004.

"They will make investments possible in the quality of water and our
environment that will be of benefit to all customers," he said. "We too
are
concerned that price rises for some people with low incomes may cause a
difficulty and we would urge any customers in that position to contact
their
water company so that they can discuss the best way of helping them to
pay."

CCWater is the statutory water consumer body in England and Wales.
Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2006

It's even less relevant the second time. FOAD Spammer.

MBQ

I am not a spammer thank you and I didn't see it come up the first time

So stick it up yours pal


wrote in message
oups.com...

Ophelia wrote:
Guardian Unlimited
Householders will be hit with above-inflation increases in their water
bills
this year, a consumer group warned today.

The average price hike will be 7% rising to up to 13% for South West
Water
customers, according to the Consumer Council for Water. Folkestone and
Dover
Water is set to increase prices by as much as 10.5% even though its
customers will probably face water restrictions.

The company has applied to make water meters compulsory for the
householders
it supplies because of dry conditions in the south east, CCWater said.
United Utilities customers will see bills go up by around 9.5% after
the
increases come into force on April 1.

Further price hikes are likely to follow over the coming decade to
bring
the
company in line with EU requirements, according to CCWater. The
consumer
group said its figures, sourced from the regulator Ofwat, masked large
differences in prices paid by customers on water meters and those
paying
an
unmeasured rate.

Smaller households and those with a high rateable value are usually
better
off switching to a water meter, the consumer group said. It warns that
the
next round of price hikes could leave some customers struggling to pay
their
water bills.

Figures for 2004-2005 showed that £962m of bill revenue was
outstanding
to
water companies during that year - £562m of it more than 12 months
old.
That
was a 17% increase on the situation in 1998-99, CCWater said.

Some 4.4m households have had bills outstanding for up to 48 months,
according to Ofwat figures from August 2005. Dame Yve Buckland, chair
of
CCWater, said:
"Customers finding it hard to pay should contact their company as soon
as
they are aware of the problem.

"Companies can arrange flexible payment plans, or help to clear
outstanding
charges by taking deductions direct from benefits."

The consumer group advises householders to look at ways of saving
water
without cutting back on essential usage and to apply for a vulnerable
customer tariff if appropriate.

Barrie Clarke, spokesman for Water UK which represents all the water
companies, said the price increases were agreed by the regulator
following a
thorough review in 2004.

"They will make investments possible in the quality of water and our
environment that will be of benefit to all customers," he said. "We
too
are
concerned that price rises for some people with low incomes may cause
a
difficulty and we would urge any customers in that position to contact
their
water company so that they can discuss the best way of helping them to
pay."

CCWater is the statutory water consumer body in England and Wales.
Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2006

It's even less relevant the second time. FOAD Spammer.

MBQ

Ophelia wrote:
I am not a spammer thank you and I didn't see it come up the first time
So stick it up yours pal

How pleasant you are (not). Just listen to what you're being told.

Ophelia wrote:
I am not a spammer thank you and I didn't see it come up the first time

So stick it up yours pal

ooohhhh! They were a day apart and it wouldn't take long to look.

So why do you insist on posting great irrelevant chunks from the
Guardian when a simple hyperlink would do?

Just wait until the anti-top posters get onto you!

MBQ



wrote in message
oups.com...

Ophelia wrote:
Guardian Unlimited
Householders will be hit with above-inflation increases in their water
bills
this year, a consumer group warned today.

The average price hike will be 7% rising to up to 13% for South West
Water
customers, according to the Consumer Council for Water. Folkestone and
Dover
Water is set to increase prices by as much as 10.5% even though its
customers will probably face water restrictions.

The company has applied to make water meters compulsory for the
householders
it supplies because of dry conditions in the south east, CCWater said.
United Utilities customers will see bills go up by around 9.5% after
the
increases come into force on April 1.

Further price hikes are likely to follow over the coming decade to
bring
the
company in line with EU requirements, according to CCWater. The
consumer
group said its figures, sourced from the regulator Ofwat, masked large
differences in prices paid by customers on water meters and those
paying
an
unmeasured rate.

Smaller households and those with a high rateable value are usually
better
off switching to a water meter, the consumer group said. It warns that
the
next round of price hikes could leave some customers struggling to pay
their
water bills.

Figures for 2004-2005 showed that £962m of bill revenue was
outstanding
to
water companies during that year - £562m of it more than 12 months
old.
That
was a 17% increase on the situation in 1998-99, CCWater said.

Some 4.4m households have had bills outstanding for up to 48 months,
according to Ofwat figures from August 2005. Dame Yve Buckland, chair
of
CCWater, said:
"Customers finding it hard to pay should contact their company as soon
as
they are aware of the problem.

"Companies can arrange flexible payment plans, or help to clear
outstanding
charges by taking deductions direct from benefits."

The consumer group advises householders to look at ways of saving
water
without cutting back on essential usage and to apply for a vulnerable
customer tariff if appropriate.

Barrie Clarke, spokesman for Water UK which represents all the water
companies, said the price increases were agreed by the regulator
following a
thorough review in 2004.

"They will make investments possible in the quality of water and our
environment that will be of benefit to all customers," he said. "We
too
are
concerned that price rises for some people with low incomes may cause
a
difficulty and we would urge any customers in that position to contact
their
water company so that they can discuss the best way of helping them to
pay."

CCWater is the statutory water consumer body in England and Wales.
Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2006

It's even less relevant the second time. FOAD Spammer.

MBQ

wrote in message
oups.com...

Ophelia wrote:
I am not a spammer thank you and I didn't see it come up the first
time

So stick it up yours pal

ooohhhh! They were a day apart and it wouldn't take long to look.

So why do you insist on posting great irrelevant chunks from the
Guardian when a simple hyperlink would do?

I don't have the link.. just the text. It didn't actually come up on my
pc. I just post things that might be of interest here.

Just wait until the anti-top posters get onto you!

Well after your aggressive and nasty response I don't think they could
be any worse. I usually find though that the degree of aggression in a
response, is in directly inverse proportion to the size of a poster's
penis

Ophelia wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...

Ophelia wrote:
I am not a spammer thank you and I didn't see it come up the first
time

So stick it up yours pal

ooohhhh! They were a day apart and it wouldn't take long to look.

So why do you insist on posting great irrelevant chunks from the
Guardian when a simple hyperlink would do?

I don't have the link.. just the text. It didn't actually come up on my
pc. I just post things that might be of interest here.

Just wait until the anti-top posters get onto you!

Well after your aggressive and nasty response I don't think they could
be any worse. I usually find though that the degree of aggression in a
response, is in directly inverse proportion to the size of a poster's
penis

You don't know how to quote properly and now you've got penis envy.
Never mind.

MBQ

Ophelia wrote:
Well after your aggressive and nasty response I don't think they could
be any worse. I usually find though that the degree of aggression in a
response, is in directly inverse proportion to the size of a poster's
penis

*jeers*

Still, you won't see this, and this time you'll maybe claim that
both me *&* manatbandq are "following" you. ROFL!

wrote in message
ups.com...

Ophelia wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...

Ophelia wrote:
I am not a spammer thank you and I didn't see it come up the first
time

So stick it up yours pal

ooohhhh! They were a day apart and it wouldn't take long to look.

So why do you insist on posting great irrelevant chunks from the
Guardian when a simple hyperlink would do?

I don't have the link.. just the text. It didn't actually come up on
my
pc. I just post things that might be of interest here.

Just wait until the anti-top posters get onto you!

Well after your aggressive and nasty response I don't think they
could
be any worse. I usually find though that the degree of aggression
in a
response, is in directly inverse proportion to the size of a poster's
penis

You don't know how to quote properly

it was good enough for you

and now you've got penis envy.
Never mind.

LOL

Well you cant talk. You just reposted all the crap for a one line reply.

Dave

Ophelia wrote:
[ snip ]

Reminds me of a joke about a pig, a monkey, and a cork.

"Chris Bacon" wrote in message
...
Ophelia wrote:
[ snip ]

Reminds me of a joke about a pig, a monkey, and a cork.

Please tell...

"Chris Bacon" wrote in message
...
Ophelia wrote:
[ snip ]

Reminds me of a joke about a pig, a monkey, and a cork.

Please tell...

On Sat, 25 Feb 2006 17:43:19 +0000 (UTC), "John"
wrote:


"Chris Bacon" wrote in message
...
Ophelia wrote:
[ snip ]

Reminds me of a joke about a pig, a monkey, and a cork.

Please tell...


There were these three farmers that wanted to win the state fair
contest for having the largest hog. They decide that they should stick
a cork in the pigs ass and feed him for a month before the fair. The
only problem was that none of them wanted to be the one to stick the
cork in. So they bought a monkey and trained him to stick corks in
bottles. After a week or two of this, they stick the monkey in the pen
with the pig and a cork, and after a minute, the monkey did what he
was supposed to do. The farmers fed the pig for a month and sure
enough, they won first prize. Once they got home, they realized they
still had to take the cork out. So they trained this same monkey to
take corks out of bottles. They stuck the monkey in the pen with the
pig, and the farmers woke up three days later in the hospital with a
reporter sitting next to them. The reporter asked the first farmer,
"What is the last thing you remember?" "**** flying everywhere," the
farmer replied. The reporter asked the second farmer the same question
and got the same response. When she got to the third farmer and asked
him what he could remember, he started crying. The reporter asked,
"What's the matter?" The farmer replied, "The last thing I remember is
the look on the poor monkey's face as he tried to stick the cork back
in."


--

..andy