The Water Companies (Social Tariffs) Bill, which will enable water companies to provide social tariffs for low income families, will not go through the House of Commons until next year.
The Bill, which is currently being prepared for publication, is expected to be read a second time in the House of Commons on 18 January 2013 after its first reading yesterday (25 June).
At the first reading of the bill there was no debate.
The Water Companies (Minimum Tariffs) Bill was also read for the first time yesterday, but like the social tariff bill, will not have a second reading until January next year.This bill requires water companies to provide the cheapest available tariff to customers aged 75 or over.
Both are Private Members' Bills, sponsored by Thomas Docherty, Labour MP for Dunfermline and West Fife.
The Bills follow the announcement by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg from the Rio+20 conference that customers struggling to pay their water bills would receive financial help.
Defra has released guidance for the water companies on how to undertake helping their most vulnerable customers.
Water UK, the body which represents all the UK water companies, said a milestone had been reached in the move towards social tariffs, commenting:
"The publication today of social tariffs guidance is a long-awaited step toward the introduction of additional measures to do more to help customers who need assistance. These measures, which water companies have long sought, will enable companies to develop a suite of tools to help those who are struggling to pay their bills."
Near-real-time microbial monitoring of wastewater discharge and bathing waters is now possible thanks to the BactoSense ID solution created by Swiss-based bNovate Technologies.
ABB has launched AquaMaster+™, a digital platform for smart water network management, designed to help water utilities monitor, analyze and manage their water networks, preventing pipeline water losses and optimizing operations.
Craig Nienaber, Business Development Manager for Safe Access Solutions (SAS) at HUBER Technology, explores why the company is seeing a growing level of interest in its safe access solutions for critical infrastructure providers, including their application in wastewater treatment assets.
Albion Water, the first NAV (New Appointment & Variation) to have been established in1999 and now under the ownership of SDS Water Group, has appointed Andy Holland as its new Director of Business Development.
Southern Water has released film and images showing what it’s like to walk inside Hampshire’s expanded Yew Hill underground reservoir for the very last time, before it gets filled with water.
Hear how Scottish Water has completed its £235 million Ayrshire Glasgow Resilience Project - customers across Greater Glasgow, Ayrshire and East Renfrewshire will now benefit from a more secure and resilient water supply.
Hear how United Utilities is accelerating its investment to reduce spills from storm overflows across the Northwest.