Water bills to increase by �11 in next five years

ANGLIAN Water will spend �2.26 billion between 2010-2015, securing 7,000 jobs and providing water to five million customers. But water bills will increase. The Huntingdon-based firm s business plan has been submitted to industry regulator Ofwat. If ap

ANGLIAN Water will spend �2.26 billion between 2010-2015, securing 7,000 jobs and providing water to five million customers.

But water bills will increase.

The Huntingdon-based firm's business plan has been submitted to industry regulator Ofwat.

If approved, the plan would mean an average increase in household water and wastewater bills of 0.6 per cent a year for the next five years.

This would add �11 to bills between 2010 and 2015, keeping water charges to a little over a pound a day for the average household - average bills will increase from �362 in 2010 to �373 by 2015.

Jonson Cox, Anglian Water's chief executive said: "Times are tough at the moment and bills must be kept affordable for essential services like water.

"In setting out our proposed pricing structure for the next five years we will ensure that there are no surprises for those taking care of all-important family budgets."

He added: "Of all water and sewerage companies, Anglian Water customers had the lowest increases in their bills between 2005 and 2010 and we want to keep them as low as possible over the next five years too.

"At the same time we plan to invest in our high quality services to customers while maintaining more treatment works and pumping stations than any water company, and a network of pipes that would reach around the planet almost twice. We have to make every penny count.

"And we must face-up to our biggest challenges too, which are the impacts of climate change in this low-lying, flat area, and the development of thousands of new homes across our region."

Ofwat makes the final decision on charges at the end of July.