Higher water bills

Higher water bills

NORTHUMBRIAN WATER will be able to increase bills from next April to finance obligatory higher standards of sewage treatment, the water regulator, Ofwat, confirmed yesterday. Ian Byatt, director-general of water services, said customers' bills would be pounds 6.65 higher than expected as a result of the measure, which allows the company to raise prices, on average, by a maximum of 0.7 per cent above inflation for one year only.