Letter: Clear arguments for clean and cheap water

Sir: You say (leading article, 14 July) that, according to the National Rivers Authority, UK water prices are significantly lower than in most European countries. I have before me the bill for water supplied to our property in the south of France and the bill for the same period for our UK home water consumption. Both properties have a metered supply.

There is no standing charge on our French bill and the charge for one cubic metre of water is 61 pence. In the UK we pay a standing charge of pounds 30 per half-year and an additional charge of 88 pence per metre. In effect, we pay pounds 1.79 per metre in the UK, which is roughly three times the price of our 'French' water. It is not surprising perhaps that, with an eye on profits, a French water company has bought our UK water supplier.

Yours faithfully,

S. V. COLLINS

Battle, East Sussex

14 July