Wastewater Charge Information
The Wastewater Charge
In April 2011 a new Wastewater Charge was introduced for all domestic and commercial properties on the Island. The charge is intended to cover a significant proportion of the operational costs of the sewerage network and will provide funding for investigations into improving the Island's sewage treatment.
This charge was formulated by the Public Services Department, and was approved in January 2009 by the States of Guernsey. The administration of the charge and the collection of income will be handled by Guernsey Water/Guernsey Wastewater.
How is the Wastewater Charge calculated? (2012 Figures)
The charge consists of three elements:
1). A standing charge of £30.84 per annum per household/business
2). Additional charges relating to wastewater discharged, which consist of:
Metered customers will be charged on 90%* of the water that comes in through the meter (as it is estimated that 90% of water goes to waste), at a rate of £0.62 per cubic metre.
Unmetered customers will be charged £0.14 for every unit of their property's TRP per quarter.
3). A fixed fee of £51.44 per annum per household/business in respect of sewage treatment investigation works. This fee is time-bound and will only be charged for four years (2011 - 2015)*
*Subject to States of Guernsey approval in January 2012
How much will I have to pay?
The charge will average approximately £150 per household per annum, although the exact amount you pay will depend on whether you are metered for your water supply or not.
To find out exactly how much you will be charged, you can try out our Wastewater Charge Calculator, which will give you an accurate figure for how much you will be paying (if you are an unmetered customer) or a close approximation of how much you will be paying (if you are a metered customer).
If you are not connected to the foul sewer network (the main drain) and use a cesspit, then you will still have to pay the charge. However, in recognition of the fact that you are not connected to the main drain, the cesspit collection charges will be reduced to approximately half of their usual cost.
How to pay
The Wastewater Charge will be included in your quarterly invoice from Guernsey Water, so you can pay in exactly the same ways as you can for your normal water bill. Please click here, and go to the 'How to Pay' section for more details.
If you currently use Direct Debit to pay your water bill, then you do not need to do anything - your wastewater bill will automatically be debited from your account when the charge is introduced. You will of course be informed of the amount that will be debited from your account in advance.
Is it cheaper to be on a water meter?
This is very much dependant on how many people are in the household, and how much water is used. However, people on meters generally use around 12 - 15% less water than those not on a meter, which in turn reduces the cost of water bills. This reduced water consumption would also bring down your wastewater bill.
If you wish to apply for a meter, we can send you out an application form, or you can download and print one off by clicking here. The installation of a water meter is free, but please bear in mind that changing to a meter is permanent - you cannot change back to being unmetered once it has been installed.
More information
If you require any further information, you can have a look at our Frequently Asked Questions page, which will hopefully answer your query. If you are still unsure, then please Contact Us.