What I can say for definite is for many years my old mum who lived on her own,
and used hardly much water at all,
was being charged exctly the same fixed rate as a young family with several kids..

I found this out when I took over looking after her bills.

She was obliviously in arrears to the local water company for well over 700 quid.

Which they insisted must be paid back without exception...!!!

Despite the customer service call worker ackowleging how unfair this was, she had to say "sorry no appeals permitted".
The customer [dis]service operative had no options other than fobbing us off with a scripted..

"..But your mum should have asked for a water meter to be installed, and just paid for what she used..."

So over past decades, how many confused and disorganised elderly folks with dementia
have fallen prey to this extortionate dirty water trick...!!!???