By Harry Mottram: Water bills in Axbridge are to rise by 32% by 2030 as utility firms hike consumer prices to meet increased costs of cleaning up bathing water in rivers and the sea with average bills set to hit an eye-watering £686 for 2025/2026. Compared to South West Water’s 2024/25 charges, average customer bills for 2025/26 will increase by a total of 41 pence per day, or 28 per cent. Perhaps not eyewatering if like the boss of The Pennon Group (owners of South West Water, Bristol Water and of course Cheddar Reservoir) your salary is £860,000. Susan Davy was defending her income as she was being given the third degree by Members of Parliament this week due to a public outcry over the rise in water bills led to MPs calling in the utility bosses to explain themselves.
There was the matter of hikes in bills, the continued pollution of rivers and bath beaches in the West Country and the small matter that Davey was awarded an extra £300,000 this year. Sarah Taaffe-Maguire for Sky News reported: “Davy was at the helm of the water utility responsible for an outbreak of cryptosporidium that resulted in an eight-week boil water notice for parts of Devon and left hundreds sick last May. People collecting bottled water in Devon following last year’s parasite outbreak.”
She continued with her report: “When questioned about rising shareholder payments, called dividends, Davy said they were declared but not paid out after the cryptosporidium outbreak. Small claims taken by customers have been settled by Pennon, but Davy was unable to say whether claimants were required to sign non-disclosure agreements.”
The idea that non-disclosure agreements said Davy were used as a matter of course is in itself of concern as they have been widely abused and essentially used to shut up whistleblowers and claimants along with members of staff when they leave. She was unrepentant about her huge salary rise saying it was decided by a committee and was not related to the rise in bills. If you think she is well paid then her salary is somewhat lower than other CEOs of firms that were once owned by the tax payer back in the 1970s. in 2023 the CEO of British Gas, Chris O’Shea, earned £8.2 million. This was an increase from £4.5 million in 2022.
Back to Cheddar reservoir and a reminder that work has continued to survey the site south of the current reservoir with the intention to build Cheddar Reservoir 2 by the early 2030s. Last year Rob Hackman of The New Civil Engineer reported: “South West Water has confirmed it will construct the Cheddar 2 reservoir in Bristol to improve the region’s water resilience, six years after the plans were scrapped. The existing Cheddar reservoir in Somerset was constructed by Sir Robert McAlpine in the 1930s for Bristol Water.
“The water company had proposed a second reservoir adjacent to it in 2007 and started survey work in 2012, but the plan was scrapped in 2018. In February 2023, South West Water merged with Bristol Water, with all assets and responsibilities transferring to South West Water. As part of its £2.8bn investment plans for the eighth asset management period (AMP8), 2025-2030, South West Water has revealed its intention to construct the previously mothballed reservoir. The Cheddar 2 reservoir development will include treatment works and a connection to Bickham Moore. Construction will commence during AMP8 and is planned to be in operational use in 2032-33.”
Bristol Water say on their website about the £3.2bn investment programme: “Our investment plan will enhance resilience, secure water supplies for the future, and ensure a sustainable future. Our plan includes exciting major projects, including investing in the construction of a new reservoir at Cheddar in Bristol, and the development of water grid to connect strategic reservoirs in the south west.”
Readers will know that Cheddar is in Somerset rather than Bristol.
Axbridge Review is edited by Harry Mottram and is published for the interest of himself and fellow residents.
Harry is a freelance journalist. Follow him on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube etc
Email:harryfmottram@gmail.com
Website:www.harrymottram.co.uk
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