Guernsey Water will invest nearly £130m to renew and reinforce the island's ageing water and wastewater network, funded through efficiency savings, borrowing and an increase in customer bills. Regulators have approved standing charges above inflation; metered households face about a £4 monthly rise, unmetered about £6. The plan includes £72m for maintenance and a £20m reservoir at Les Vardes Quarry, with major conversion work expected around 2035. The utility cites reduced rainfall and changing patterns as drivers for improved storage and resilience.
Guernsey Water to Raise Bills to Fund £130m Network Overhaul and New Reservoir
Guernsey Water to invest nearly £130m to renew ageing infrastructure
Guernsey Water has announced plans to invest almost £130 million to renew and improve the island's water and wastewater network and to strengthen resilience against future shortages. The programme includes major maintenance of existing systems and the construction of a new freshwater reservoir at Les Vardes Quarry.
How the investment will be funded
The utility says the funding package will come from a mix of efficiency savings following the refurbishment of St Saviour's treatment works, some borrowing, and an increase in customer bills designed to spread costs between current and future users. Regulators have approved increases to the standing charge for both tap water and wastewater that are above inflation.
What customers can expect
Guernsey Water estimates that metered households will see bills rise by about £4 per month on average, while unmetered customers should expect an increase of roughly £6 per month. The company says these rises are necessary to maintain and modernise a network that, in places, is approaching 100 years old.
"We cannot neglect the infrastructure we are already using," said Steve Langlois, managing director of Guernsey Water. "Failure to invest now simply stores up problems for the future, which would be more costly for customers in the long run."
Planned works and timeline
About £72 million is earmarked for maintenance of drinking water and wastewater systems, and £20 million is allocated for a new freshwater reservoir at Les Vardes Quarry to increase storage capacity once quarrying finishes. The company also plans to begin installing interconnecting pipes between the island's reservoirs several years before conversion work at the quarry begins, with major conversion expected to start around 2035.
Why resilience matters
Guernsey Water reported that rainfall between January and September this year was 13% below the 10-year average and 15% below the 30-year average. The company says changing rainfall patterns make increased storage and greater operational resilience essential. "The issues we face are identical to what water companies across Europe are having to deal with, just without the economies of scale," Mr Langlois added.
Public reaction
Passers-by in St Peter Port gave mixed responses. Some residents, while concerned about the rising costs of living, accepted the need to invest in essential services. Others said they were worried about affordability as prices rise across many household essentials.
Key facts:
- Total planned investment: nearly £130 million
- Maintenance allocation: ~£72 million
- Planned new reservoir: ~£20 million at Les Vardes Quarry
- Estimated bill increases: ~£4/month (metered), ~£6/month (unmetered)
- Major quarry conversion work expected from around 2035
Guernsey Water says the programme aims to safeguard supply, improve storage and reduce the risk of more disruptive and costly failures in the future.
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