WATER giants want to flush out even more cash from hard-pressed customers by adding another £100 to bills over five years. The biggest suppliers in England and Wales say they need price rises above the levels they have already asked for, despite the regulator telling them that even those amounts were too high. 4 Troubled Thames Water says it needs to raise bills by 59 per cent to survive, but Ofwat wants a limit of 23 per cent.
Credit: Getty In July, Ofwat said bills could go up by an average of £94 in the period up to 2030 — a 21 per cent hike, typically working out at an extra £19 a year. But most companies have now submitted new plans, saying they need to cover urgent investment to cut sewage spills and combat leaky pipes, as well as higher debt interest costs. It emerged as one provider, United Utilities, was yesterday accused of failing to report more than 100million litres of raw sewage being illegally dumped into Lake Windermere over a three-year period.
Southern Water has already asked to lift bills by 72 per cent from £420.35 a year to £627 a year. Ofwat said in July this should be limited to 44 per cent, but now bosses want more.
READ MORE ON WATER COMPANIES WATER WASTE Water firms ordered to pay back £157.6m to customers - will you get cash? 'STINKERS' Water companies' customers could share £800m in compensation from lawsuit Troubled Thames Water says it needs to raise bills by 59 per cent to survive, but Ofwat wants a limit of 23 per cent. Thames creditor.
