Water costs 'to go up'

11/08/2008

Water bills will noticeably rise for most people, providers have announced.

The new numbers, covering the next five years, have come to light in financial plans submitted by the companies to industry regulator Ofwat.

They show that the UK's largest water firm, Thames Water, will put prices up by three per cent above inflation, while United Utilities and Northumbrian Water will impose 2.7 per cent and 1.3 per cent rises.

On the investment side, Thames Water is to spend £6.5 billion by 2013, while United and Welsh are to shell out £4 billion and £1.5 billion respectively.

Ofwat will now decide whether or not to approve the plans - and will deliver its verdict next year.

Justifying the price rises in an interview to the BBC, Thames Water's Peter Antolik said: "We also have, it should be remembered, a growing population in London and the south east.

"We have, we estimate, about 380,000 more people coming in to the region and we have to make sure that our infrastructure, our networks, our treatment works are all ready to cope with that influx of people."

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