The glass above shows the average daily cost of water services, and a break down of how this is spent. *Includes spending in the Bournemouth Water region. South West Water and Bournemouth Water operate as a single company.
Running our operations and maintaining our assets
We operate thousands of miles of pipes, treatment works, pumping stations and reservoirs. Your bill helps maintain, repair and operate this infrastructure so it stays reliable and resilient.
Energy
Treating, pumping and transporting water and wastewater requires significant energy. Your payments help cover these energy costs so we can keep water moving efficiently across our network.
People
A portion of your bill supports the dedicated teams who keep water services running around the clock. This includes specialists who treat and test water, maintain networks, respond to emergencies, and deliver customer service.
Rates, licences, abstraction fees
We pay the government and regulators for the right to take water from the environment, to fund the water industry regulators, as well as business rates on our sites. This ensures water is managed responsibly and sustainably.
Investing in long term improvements
Part of your bill funds essential long-term projects such as upgrading treatment works, improving river water quality, reducing leakage, and enhancing wastewater systems, to meet future needs and environmental goals.
Funding investment in our infrastructure
Large scale infrastructure improvements require significant capital investment. We raise money from investors to fund long-term investment, and your payments help finance this work for the life of the assets, ensuring we can continue replacing ageing pipes, building new facilities, and preparing for the impacts of climate change.