Bonuses For England S Water Bosses Rose By 20 Last Year Despite Sewage Failures Utilities

The figures show that executives received an average of £100,000 in lump sum payments on top of their salaries during a period in which dirty water was pumped for 2.7 million hours into England’s rivers and bathing spots. Analysis of water companies’ annual reports found that the bonus pool for executives now stands at more than £600,000 per company on average. In total, the 22 water bosses paid themselves £24.8m, including £14.7m in bonuses, benefits and incentives, in 2021-22. This summer, sewage spills have continued to damage the country’s coastlines, with holidaymakers being asked to stay away from the sea at some beaches this week. The data suggests recent discards in coastal areas of Cornwall, Cumbria, Devon, Essex, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, Northumberland and Sussex. Devon beaches are among those where locals and visitors have been urged not to swim because of human waste being washed into the ocean. Severn Trent gave the highest payouts in bonuses, basic pay and benefits to executives, coming out on top with £5,939,300 and United Utilities came second, paying £4,218,000. Richard Foord, MP for Tiverton and Honiton in Devon, saw beaches in his constituency labeled as unsafe this week as a result of sewage discharges and said: “Locals and holidaymakers should not be forced to swim between human waste. “Devon’s beaches are some of the best in the world, but the government turns a blind eye while private companies destroy them.” The south coast has been hit particularly hard by sewage spills, with Sussex facing beach closures. Sussex MPs have written to Southern Water and the Environment Agency asking them to respect and protect the coast. They called for a plan to end dumping, adding: “In addition to the obvious environmental and community impacts, the closure of popular beaches and restrictions on inland waterways causes economic damage to the numerous businesses that rely on our beaches and rivers.” Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Brighton & Hove City Council leader Phélim Mac Cafferty has called for urgent action from Southern Water after human waste was dumped in a marine protected area. “Like many, I am disgusted by the scenes of raw sewage being dumped into the sea at Seaford. This marks another sad and harsh day for our environment. “Seaford is located in what is known as a marine protected area, which is an area set up specifically to protect fragile wildlife and habitats. Southern Water urgently needs to be explained. “Discharging sewage into the sea doesn’t just harm wildlife, it affects everything from our health to public safety to the local economy. It is in all of our interests that this Victorian malpractice stops now.” Further sewage alerts were issued on Thursday in popular holiday destinations, with the Isle of Wight particularly affected. There were overflows, according to the Surfers Against Sewage map, at 12 different spots across the island, with swimmers being warned they could get sick if they go into the sea. Sailor Mary Phillips lives on the Isle of Wight and said: “I live near a beach which has been declared a ‘no-go’ because of the sewage outfall this week. Such a loss – many people like to walk, relax, swim – especially in this hot weather. Here on the Isle of Wight we have had very little rain, so ridiculous to blame it on storm flooding.’ Hugo Tagholm, head of Surfers Against Sewage, said: “Water companies have turned from extreme drought to extreme sewage pollution. “Years of underinvestment are now in plain sight. It is time for the huge profits of water companies to be diverted to the proper management of water and wastewater and the protection of people and the planet. “Our rivers and beaches should not be subject to this kind of industrial environmental vandalism.” Last year Southern Water was fined a record £90m after admitting it deliberately dumped huge amounts of sewage into the sea along the south coast. Thames Water has come under fire for failing to fix leaking pipes, with a pipe ban coming into effect next week for its customers, and last year it gave executives £3m in bonuses, basic pay and other perks. Liberal Democrat environment spokesman Tim Farron said: “This is a national scandal. These disgusting polluting habits have made beaches dangerous in the middle of the summer holidays and damaged precious British wildlife. “The pipe bans could have been avoided this summer if these water company CEOs had bothered to invest in their rusty pipes instead of lining their pockets with profits. “They put profit before the environment. Honestly, the whole thing stinks.” In a report published in July, the Environment Agency said water company bosses should face jail for the worst pollution incidents, describing the sector’s performance in 2021 as “the worst we have seen for years”. The agency this week said the risk of surface water flooding caused by sudden heavy rainfall “reinforces the need for strong action by water utilities to reduce discharges from storm surges.” A spokesman for Water UK said: “Companies agree that there is an urgent need for action to tackle the damage caused to the environment by leaks from storm surges and sewage treatment works. They are investing over £3bn to improve overflows as part of a wider national program to improve the environment between 2020 and 2025 and leakage is the lowest level on record with further sharp reductions planned each year. “The bonuses of all water company executives are linked to performance and reflect customer and environmental outcomes. Private investment has brought more than £160bn into a previously cash-strapped industry, while improving the water company’s profitability by over 70%. This efficiency means costs are lower, allowing bills to remain roughly the same for over a decade in real terms, while allowing for new investment in resilience projects and reduced leakage.”

title: “Bonuses For England S Water Bosses Rose By 20 Last Year Despite Sewage Failures Utilities Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-21” author: “Marsha Cosper”

The figures show that executives received an average of £100,000 in lump sum payments on top of their salaries during a period in which dirty water was pumped for 2.7 million hours into England’s rivers and bathing spots. Analysis of water companies’ annual reports found that the bonus pool for executives now stands at more than £600,000 per company on average. In total, the 22 water bosses paid themselves £24.8m, including £14.7m in bonuses, benefits and incentives, in 2021-22. This summer, sewage spills have continued to damage the country’s coastlines, with holidaymakers being asked to stay away from the sea at some beaches this week. The data suggests recent discards in coastal areas of Cornwall, Cumbria, Devon, Essex, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, Northumberland and Sussex. Devon beaches are among those where locals and visitors have been urged not to swim because of human waste being washed into the ocean. Severn Trent gave the highest payouts in bonuses, basic pay and benefits to executives, coming out on top with £5,939,300 and United Utilities came second, paying £4,218,000. Richard Foord, MP for Tiverton and Honiton in Devon, saw beaches in his constituency labeled as unsafe this week as a result of sewage discharges and said: “Locals and holidaymakers should not be forced to swim between human waste. “Devon’s beaches are some of the best in the world, but the government turns a blind eye while private companies destroy them.” The south coast has been hit particularly hard by sewage spills, with Sussex facing beach closures. Sussex MPs have written to Southern Water and the Environment Agency asking them to respect and protect the coast. They called for a plan to end dumping, adding: “In addition to the obvious environmental and community impacts, the closure of popular beaches and restrictions on inland waterways causes economic damage to the numerous businesses that rely on our beaches and rivers.” Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Brighton & Hove City Council leader Phélim Mac Cafferty has called for urgent action from Southern Water after human waste was dumped in a marine protected area. “Like many, I am disgusted by the scenes of raw sewage being dumped into the sea at Seaford. This marks another sad and harsh day for our environment. “Seaford is located in what is known as a marine protected area, which is an area set up specifically to protect fragile wildlife and habitats. Southern Water urgently needs to be explained. “Discharging sewage into the sea doesn’t just harm wildlife, it affects everything from our health to public safety to the local economy. It is in all of our interests that this Victorian malpractice stops now.” Further sewage alerts were issued on Thursday in popular holiday destinations, with the Isle of Wight particularly affected. There were overflows, according to the Surfers Against Sewage map, at 12 different spots across the island, with swimmers being warned they could get sick if they go into the sea. Sailor Mary Phillips lives on the Isle of Wight and said: “I live near a beach which has been declared a ‘no-go’ because of the sewage outfall this week. Such a loss – many people like to walk, relax, swim – especially in this hot weather. Here on the Isle of Wight we have had very little rain, so ridiculous to blame it on storm flooding.’ Hugo Tagholm, head of Surfers Against Sewage, said: “Water companies have turned from extreme drought to extreme sewage pollution. “Years of underinvestment are now in plain sight. It is time for the huge profits of water companies to be diverted to the proper management of water and wastewater and the protection of people and the planet. “Our rivers and beaches should not be subject to this kind of industrial environmental vandalism.” Last year Southern Water was fined a record £90m after admitting it deliberately dumped huge amounts of sewage into the sea along the south coast. Thames Water has come under fire for failing to fix leaking pipes, with a pipe ban coming into effect next week for its customers, and last year it gave executives £3m in bonuses, basic pay and other perks. Liberal Democrat environment spokesman Tim Farron said: “This is a national scandal. These disgusting polluting habits have made beaches dangerous in the middle of the summer holidays and damaged precious British wildlife. “The pipe bans could have been avoided this summer if these water company CEOs had bothered to invest in their rusty pipes instead of lining their pockets with profits. “They put profit before the environment. Honestly, the whole thing stinks.” In a report published in July, the Environment Agency said water company bosses should face jail for the worst pollution incidents, describing the sector’s performance in 2021 as “the worst we have seen for years”. The agency this week said the risk of surface water flooding caused by sudden heavy rainfall “reinforces the need for strong action by water utilities to reduce discharges from storm surges.” A spokesman for Water UK said: “Companies agree that there is an urgent need for action to tackle the damage caused to the environment by leaks from storm surges and sewage treatment works. They are investing over £3bn to improve overflows as part of a wider national program to improve the environment between 2020 and 2025 and leakage is the lowest level on record with further sharp reductions planned each year. “The bonuses of all water company executives are linked to performance and reflect customer and environmental outcomes. Private investment has brought more than £160bn into a previously cash-strapped industry, while improving the water company’s profitability by over 70%. This efficiency means costs are lower, allowing bills to remain roughly the same for over a decade in real terms, while allowing for new investment in resilience projects and reduced leakage.”

title: “Bonuses For England S Water Bosses Rose By 20 Last Year Despite Sewage Failures Utilities Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-30” author: “Melissa Brummett”

The figures show that executives received an average of £100,000 in lump sum payments on top of their salaries during a period in which dirty water was pumped for 2.7 million hours into England’s rivers and bathing spots. Analysis of water companies’ annual reports found that the bonus pool for executives now stands at more than £600,000 per company on average. In total, the 22 water bosses paid themselves £24.8m, including £14.7m in bonuses, benefits and incentives, in 2021-22. This summer, sewage spills have continued to damage the country’s coastlines, with holidaymakers being asked to stay away from the sea at some beaches this week. The data suggests recent discards in coastal areas of Cornwall, Cumbria, Devon, Essex, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, Northumberland and Sussex. Devon beaches are among those where locals and visitors have been urged not to swim because of human waste being washed into the ocean. Severn Trent gave the highest payouts in bonuses, basic pay and benefits to executives, coming out on top with £5,939,300 and United Utilities came second, paying £4,218,000. Richard Foord, MP for Tiverton and Honiton in Devon, saw beaches in his constituency labeled as unsafe this week as a result of sewage discharges and said: “Locals and holidaymakers should not be forced to swim between human waste. “Devon’s beaches are some of the best in the world, but the government turns a blind eye while private companies destroy them.” The south coast has been hit particularly hard by sewage spills, with Sussex facing beach closures. Sussex MPs have written to Southern Water and the Environment Agency asking them to respect and protect the coast. They called for a plan to end dumping, adding: “In addition to the obvious environmental and community impacts, the closure of popular beaches and restrictions on inland waterways causes economic damage to the numerous businesses that rely on our beaches and rivers.” Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Brighton & Hove City Council leader Phélim Mac Cafferty has called for urgent action from Southern Water after human waste was dumped in a marine protected area. “Like many, I am disgusted by the scenes of raw sewage being dumped into the sea at Seaford. This marks another sad and harsh day for our environment. “Seaford is located in what is known as a marine protected area, which is an area set up specifically to protect fragile wildlife and habitats. Southern Water urgently needs to be explained. “Discharging sewage into the sea doesn’t just harm wildlife, it affects everything from our health to public safety to the local economy. It is in all of our interests that this Victorian malpractice stops now.” Further sewage alerts were issued on Thursday in popular holiday destinations, with the Isle of Wight particularly affected. There were overflows, according to the Surfers Against Sewage map, at 12 different spots across the island, with swimmers being warned they could get sick if they go into the sea. Sailor Mary Phillips lives on the Isle of Wight and said: “I live near a beach which has been declared a ‘no-go’ because of the sewage outfall this week. Such a loss – many people like to walk, relax, swim – especially in this hot weather. Here on the Isle of Wight we have had very little rain, so ridiculous to blame it on storm flooding.’ Hugo Tagholm, head of Surfers Against Sewage, said: “Water companies have turned from extreme drought to extreme sewage pollution. “Years of underinvestment are now in plain sight. It is time for the huge profits of water companies to be diverted to the proper management of water and wastewater and the protection of people and the planet. “Our rivers and beaches should not be subject to this kind of industrial environmental vandalism.” Last year Southern Water was fined a record £90m after admitting it deliberately dumped huge amounts of sewage into the sea along the south coast. Thames Water has come under fire for failing to fix leaking pipes, with a pipe ban coming into effect next week for its customers, and last year it gave executives £3m in bonuses, basic pay and other perks. Liberal Democrat environment spokesman Tim Farron said: “This is a national scandal. These disgusting polluting habits have made beaches dangerous in the middle of the summer holidays and damaged precious British wildlife. “The pipe bans could have been avoided this summer if these water company CEOs had bothered to invest in their rusty pipes instead of lining their pockets with profits. “They put profit before the environment. Honestly, the whole thing stinks.” In a report published in July, the Environment Agency said water company bosses should face jail for the worst pollution incidents, describing the sector’s performance in 2021 as “the worst we have seen for years”. The agency this week said the risk of surface water flooding caused by sudden heavy rainfall “reinforces the need for strong action by water utilities to reduce discharges from storm surges.” A spokesman for Water UK said: “Companies agree that there is an urgent need for action to tackle the damage caused to the environment by leaks from storm surges and sewage treatment works. They are investing over £3bn to improve overflows as part of a wider national program to improve the environment between 2020 and 2025 and leakage is the lowest level on record with further sharp reductions planned each year. “The bonuses of all water company executives are linked to performance and reflect customer and environmental outcomes. Private investment has brought more than £160bn into a previously cash-strapped industry, while improving the water company’s profitability by over 70%. This efficiency means costs are lower, allowing bills to remain roughly the same for over a decade in real terms, while allowing for new investment in resilience projects and reduced leakage.”

title: “Bonuses For England S Water Bosses Rose By 20 Last Year Despite Sewage Failures Utilities Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-06” author: “Jose Cleckler”

The figures show that executives received an average of £100,000 in lump sum payments on top of their salaries during a period in which dirty water was pumped for 2.7 million hours into England’s rivers and bathing spots. Analysis of water companies’ annual reports found that the bonus pool for executives now stands at more than £600,000 per company on average. In total, the 22 water bosses paid themselves £24.8m, including £14.7m in bonuses, benefits and incentives, in 2021-22. This summer, sewage spills have continued to damage the country’s coastlines, with holidaymakers being asked to stay away from the sea at some beaches this week. The data suggests recent discards in coastal areas of Cornwall, Cumbria, Devon, Essex, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, Northumberland and Sussex. Devon beaches are among those where locals and visitors have been urged not to swim because of human waste being washed into the ocean. Severn Trent gave the highest payouts in bonuses, basic pay and benefits to executives, coming out on top with £5,939,300 and United Utilities came second, paying £4,218,000. Richard Foord, MP for Tiverton and Honiton in Devon, saw beaches in his constituency labeled as unsafe this week as a result of sewage discharges and said: “Locals and holidaymakers should not be forced to swim between human waste. “Devon’s beaches are some of the best in the world, but the government turns a blind eye while private companies destroy them.” The south coast has been hit particularly hard by sewage spills, with Sussex facing beach closures. Sussex MPs have written to Southern Water and the Environment Agency asking them to respect and protect the coast. They called for a plan to end dumping, adding: “In addition to the obvious environmental and community impacts, the closure of popular beaches and restrictions on inland waterways causes economic damage to the numerous businesses that rely on our beaches and rivers.” Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Brighton & Hove City Council leader Phélim Mac Cafferty has called for urgent action from Southern Water after human waste was dumped in a marine protected area. “Like many, I am disgusted by the scenes of raw sewage being dumped into the sea at Seaford. This marks another sad and harsh day for our environment. “Seaford is located in what is known as a marine protected area, which is an area set up specifically to protect fragile wildlife and habitats. Southern Water urgently needs to be explained. “Discharging sewage into the sea doesn’t just harm wildlife, it affects everything from our health to public safety to the local economy. It is in all of our interests that this Victorian malpractice stops now.” Further sewage alerts were issued on Thursday in popular holiday destinations, with the Isle of Wight particularly affected. There were overflows, according to the Surfers Against Sewage map, at 12 different spots across the island, with swimmers being warned they could get sick if they go into the sea. Sailor Mary Phillips lives on the Isle of Wight and said: “I live near a beach which has been declared a ‘no-go’ because of the sewage outfall this week. Such a loss – many people like to walk, relax, swim – especially in this hot weather. Here on the Isle of Wight we have had very little rain, so ridiculous to blame it on storm flooding.’ Hugo Tagholm, head of Surfers Against Sewage, said: “Water companies have turned from extreme drought to extreme sewage pollution. “Years of underinvestment are now in plain sight. It is time for the huge profits of water companies to be diverted to the proper management of water and wastewater and the protection of people and the planet. “Our rivers and beaches should not be subject to this kind of industrial environmental vandalism.” Last year Southern Water was fined a record £90m after admitting it deliberately dumped huge amounts of sewage into the sea along the south coast. Thames Water has come under fire for failing to fix leaking pipes, with a pipe ban coming into effect next week for its customers, and last year it gave executives £3m in bonuses, basic pay and other perks. Liberal Democrat environment spokesman Tim Farron said: “This is a national scandal. These disgusting polluting habits have made beaches dangerous in the middle of the summer holidays and damaged precious British wildlife. “The pipe bans could have been avoided this summer if these water company CEOs had bothered to invest in their rusty pipes instead of lining their pockets with profits. “They put profit before the environment. Honestly, the whole thing stinks.” In a report published in July, the Environment Agency said water company bosses should face jail for the worst pollution incidents, describing the sector’s performance in 2021 as “the worst we have seen for years”. The agency this week said the risk of surface water flooding caused by sudden heavy rainfall “reinforces the need for strong action by water utilities to reduce discharges from storm surges.” A spokesman for Water UK said: “Companies agree that there is an urgent need for action to tackle the damage caused to the environment by leaks from storm surges and sewage treatment works. They are investing over £3bn to improve overflows as part of a wider national program to improve the environment between 2020 and 2025 and leakage is the lowest level on record with further sharp reductions planned each year. “The bonuses of all water company executives are linked to performance and reflect customer and environmental outcomes. Private investment has brought more than £160bn into a previously cash-strapped industry, while improving the water company’s profitability by over 70%. This efficiency means costs are lower, allowing bills to remain roughly the same for over a decade in real terms, while allowing for new investment in resilience projects and reduced leakage.”

title: “Bonuses For England S Water Bosses Rose By 20 Last Year Despite Sewage Failures Utilities Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-09” author: “Margaret Stinson”

The figures show that executives received an average of £100,000 in lump sum payments on top of their salaries during a period in which dirty water was pumped for 2.7 million hours into England’s rivers and bathing spots. Analysis of water companies’ annual reports found that the bonus pool for executives now stands at more than £600,000 per company on average. In total, the 22 water bosses paid themselves £24.8m, including £14.7m in bonuses, benefits and incentives, in 2021-22. This summer, sewage spills have continued to damage the country’s coastlines, with holidaymakers being asked to stay away from the sea at some beaches this week. The data suggests recent discards in coastal areas of Cornwall, Cumbria, Devon, Essex, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, Northumberland and Sussex. Devon beaches are among those where locals and visitors have been urged not to swim because of human waste being washed into the ocean. Severn Trent gave the highest payouts in bonuses, basic pay and benefits to executives, coming out on top with £5,939,300 and United Utilities came second, paying £4,218,000. Richard Foord, MP for Tiverton and Honiton in Devon, saw beaches in his constituency labeled as unsafe this week as a result of sewage discharges and said: “Locals and holidaymakers should not be forced to swim between human waste. “Devon’s beaches are some of the best in the world, but the government turns a blind eye while private companies destroy them.” The south coast has been hit particularly hard by sewage spills, with Sussex facing beach closures. Sussex MPs have written to Southern Water and the Environment Agency asking them to respect and protect the coast. They called for a plan to end dumping, adding: “In addition to the obvious environmental and community impacts, the closure of popular beaches and restrictions on inland waterways causes economic damage to the numerous businesses that rely on our beaches and rivers.” Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Brighton & Hove City Council leader Phélim Mac Cafferty has called for urgent action from Southern Water after human waste was dumped in a marine protected area. “Like many, I am disgusted by the scenes of raw sewage being dumped into the sea at Seaford. This marks another sad and harsh day for our environment. “Seaford is located in what is known as a marine protected area, which is an area set up specifically to protect fragile wildlife and habitats. Southern Water urgently needs to be explained. “Discharging sewage into the sea doesn’t just harm wildlife, it affects everything from our health to public safety to the local economy. It is in all of our interests that this Victorian malpractice stops now.” Further sewage alerts were issued on Thursday in popular holiday destinations, with the Isle of Wight particularly affected. There were overflows, according to the Surfers Against Sewage map, at 12 different spots across the island, with swimmers being warned they could get sick if they go into the sea. Sailor Mary Phillips lives on the Isle of Wight and said: “I live near a beach which has been declared a ‘no-go’ because of the sewage outfall this week. Such a loss – many people like to walk, relax, swim – especially in this hot weather. Here on the Isle of Wight we have had very little rain, so ridiculous to blame it on storm flooding.’ Hugo Tagholm, head of Surfers Against Sewage, said: “Water companies have turned from extreme drought to extreme sewage pollution. “Years of underinvestment are now in plain sight. It is time for the huge profits of water companies to be diverted to the proper management of water and wastewater and the protection of people and the planet. “Our rivers and beaches should not be subject to this kind of industrial environmental vandalism.” Last year Southern Water was fined a record £90m after admitting it deliberately dumped huge amounts of sewage into the sea along the south coast. Thames Water has come under fire for failing to fix leaking pipes, with a pipe ban coming into effect next week for its customers, and last year it gave executives £3m in bonuses, basic pay and other perks. Liberal Democrat environment spokesman Tim Farron said: “This is a national scandal. These disgusting polluting habits have made beaches dangerous in the middle of the summer holidays and damaged precious British wildlife. “The pipe bans could have been avoided this summer if these water company CEOs had bothered to invest in their rusty pipes instead of lining their pockets with profits. “They put profit before the environment. Honestly, the whole thing stinks.” In a report published in July, the Environment Agency said water company bosses should face jail for the worst pollution incidents, describing the sector’s performance in 2021 as “the worst we have seen for years”. The agency this week said the risk of surface water flooding caused by sudden heavy rainfall “reinforces the need for strong action by water utilities to reduce discharges from storm surges.” A spokesman for Water UK said: “Companies agree that there is an urgent need for action to tackle the damage caused to the environment by leaks from storm surges and sewage treatment works. They are investing over £3bn to improve overflows as part of a wider national program to improve the environment between 2020 and 2025 and leakage is the lowest level on record with further sharp reductions planned each year. “The bonuses of all water company executives are linked to performance and reflect customer and environmental outcomes. Private investment has brought more than £160bn into a previously cash-strapped industry, while improving the water company’s profitability by over 70%. This efficiency means costs are lower, allowing bills to remain roughly the same for over a decade in real terms, while allowing for new investment in resilience projects and reduced leakage.”