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Water Rates – new law to ‘rain in’ excessive charges?

Several water and sewerage companies have moved to ‘site area charging for surface water drainage’ - a levy for the removal and treatment of rain that falls on roofs, car parks and other non-permeable surfaces and drains into public sewers.

As a result, churches with large roofs or car parks, as well as other faith and community groups have been hit by huge increases in water charges – some being charged four figure sums where nothing had previously been payable.
 
A new Bill announced in the Queen’s Speech, the Flood and Water Management Bill provides for water and sewerage companies in England and Wales to operate concessionary schemes for community premises. On the face of it this is good news. But at present, the scheme as presented in the Bill is discretionary rather than mandatory and gives companies their own discretion as to the scale of reductions in charges, who qualifies as a community group etc.

The Government are however charged with issuing guidance on aspects of the Scheme which the water companies must ‘have regard’. The worry therefore is that they will either choose not to operate concessions or limit the value of the scheme to community groups. We, along with other sector representatives are monitoring the progression of the Bill.

Water charges in Scotland: small charity exemptions

The Scottish Government has announced that registered charities with a small income will continue to be eligible for exemption from water and sewerage charges from 2010 to 2015.
 
Any charity registered with OSCR that moves premises after 1 April 2010 and continues to meet all other criteria will retain its exemption. Any registered charity that has moved premises since 1 April 2006 and lost its exemption as a result, will from 1 April 2010, be able to reapply for exemption.

The maximum income criteria will be increased from 1 April 2010 from £50,000 to £60,000 and will increase by £1,500 per annum thereafter.

Comments

As a Scottish Charity our church moved premises in 1999. The date of our occupation of this property missed Scottish Water’s date by one month set by them as a cut off for exemption from water charges for charities; we are paying dearly for this ever since. Despite having an income under the maximum criteria and several appeals to them they refuse to consider granting exemption. Scottish Water use the site area charging method that provides them guaranteed revenue from properties where fresh water consumption is small. We pay £380 per annum for Fresh Water Volume consumed but because they add charges for: · *Fresh Water Fixed Charge · *Waste Water Fixed Charge · *Waste Water Volume Charge · *Property Drainage Charge · *Road Drainage Charge the annual bill becomes £1986.26.

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