en.Wedoany.com Reported - Northern Ireland Water has recently announced new tariffs for non-household customers for the 2026/27 financial year, effective from April 1, 2026, with water and sewerage charges set to increase by an average of 7.9%.

Northern Ireland Water stated that this water charge increase is primarily due to inflationary pressures and persistently high electricity costs, which have impacted operational expenses for water supply and sewerage services. The company needs to strike a balance between ensuring infrastructure investment and maintaining reasonable costs for customers.

Ronan Larkin, Director of Finance, Regulation, and Commerce at Northern Ireland Water, said: "When setting the new tariffs, we must balance revenue requirements with the affordability for our business customers. Facing significant cost challenges, the company has decided to fully utilize the price cap allowance, a plan which has been approved by the independent regulator." "Although the increase is unavoidable, particularly due to rising electricity and operational costs, we understand this may place a burden on customers. Therefore, we advise customers experiencing payment difficulties to contact us promptly." "The associated revenue is crucial for maintaining daily services, advancing facility upgrades, and is also beneficial for the local economy and environment."

According to regulations set by the Utility Regulator for Northern Ireland, water charge adjustments must comply with a price cap, which is primarily based on the Retail Price Index (RPI) as the main inflation measure. Based on the 3.8% RPI figure from November 2025, the increase varies for different customer types: metered customer bills will rise by 7.2%, while non-metered and industrial effluent bills will increase by 8.8% and 9.8% respectively.

Charges for metered customers are calculated based on actual water consumption, whereas non-metered customers are billed according to the Net Annual Value (NAV) of their property. Northern Ireland Water provided specific examples to illustrate the impact of the increase: for instance, a medium-sized factory using 1,306 cubic meters of water and connected to the sewerage system will see its annual charge rise to £5,232, an increase of £351; a shop or small office unit using 285 cubic meters of water will see its annual charge increase to £569, up by £38.

Northern Ireland Water reviews its water and sewerage charges annually and consults with the regulator, aiming to ensure rates are fair and reasonable. The company plans to inform non-household customers about the detailed changes to water charges via mail.

This article is compiled by Wedoany. All AI citations must indicate the source as "Wedoany". If there is any infringement or other issues, please notify us promptly, and we will modify or delete it accordingly. Email: news@wedoany.com