Water bills in the North East will rise by an average of £79 a year from April, according to Northumbrian Water - but the company insists that it remains 'one of the lowest' in the UK.
It was revealed on Thursday (January 30) by industry body Water UK that households in England and Wales will see an average £123 or 26 per cent increase to their yearly water bill.
In the North East, customers will see an increase in their water bill, with an average bill increasing by around £1.53 per week for their water and wastewater services, which equates to around £79 per year or 19 per cent.
The increases are higher than those announced by Ofwat in its new five-year price limits for firms just before Christmas as they include inflation.
The Consumer Council for Water (CCW) said stronger and fairer support was urgently needed to protect struggling households from the largest rise in water bills since the privatisation of the water industry 36 years ago.
CCW said customers continued to face a postcode lottery of social tariff schemes, which meant the level of support and who was eligible varied considerably across England and Wales.
CCW chief executive Mike Keil said: “These rises are the largest we’ve seen since privatisation and will heap considerable pressure on millions of customers who are already having to make difficult choices.
“Customers want to see investment in improving services and cleaning up our rivers but that can’t come at an unbearable cost to struggling households.
“Around 2.5 million households are already in debt to their water company and there is a danger that number will grow unless some companies show more ambition around financial support.”
According to the water company, this increase is part of a five-year improvement plan, which will begin in April 2025, and will see the company invest £2.6 billion in the region to improve the local water and sewer network.
This major investment programme will see upgrades to some of the company’s key infrastructure, including pipelines, treatment works, and pumping stations.
Northumbrian Water also said that it is committed to spending 60p in every pound with local suppliers to ensure funds stay in the region to support jobs and the economy.
Head of Affordability Support at Northumbrian Water, Mark Wilkinson, said: “It’s important we keep delivering a service our customers can rely on, including producing clean, clear, and great tasting tap water, as well as protecting the environment.
"This is why we continue to invest in the future of the North East's water and sewer network.
“We do understand though, that the increase in water bill prices can be a concern for our customers.
"We want to make sure we have lots of support available from payment plans to payment breaks through to, low-income discounts and free debt support, thanks to our partnership with Stepchange Debt Charity.
“Last year we helped over 100,000 customers with financial support, and we want to reassure our customers that this help will continue again this year.”
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From April, Northumbrian Water customers will be paying on average £1.39 per day for their water and sewerage services.
Over the next five years Northumbrian Water’s investment in the North East region will include several key projects and is on track to create 3,000 jobs per year across Northumbrian Water Group.
Monisha Gower, Northumbrian Water’s Assets Director added: "Our £2.6bn capital programme for the next five years represents a massive increase in investment in the North East, almost three times that of the previous five-year period.
"We've carried out extensive consultations with customers to inform the development of our investment plan, so we know that what we will be delivering aligns with their priorities.
"With £1.9bn of that investment aimed at protecting and enhancing the environment, along with work to ensure the resilience of our water and wastewater services, customers' bills will be spent directly on the things that matter to them and to their communities."
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