Water company pledges to keep bills affordable

United Utilities engineers maintaining water supplies

North West water company United Utilities has said it will keep customers’ bills in line with inflation next year.

Furthermore, if regulator Ofwat accepts the company’s business plan, bills will be kept below inflation between 2015 and 2020.

Steve Mogford, Chief Executive Officer, said: “This will be some good news for our customers amid the economic gloom.

“We can’t control inflation but we can control the basic bill. We have listened to our customers. They have told us their household budgets are under pressure and keeping their water bill affordable is one crucial way we can help.”

Included in United Utilities’ business plan for 2015 to 2020 is a £3.8bn package of improvements for the region’s water and sewerage infrastructure.

The company submits its business plan for 2015-2020 to Ofwat on 2 December. The water regulator is then expected to announce its decision later in 2014.

United Utilities supplies seven million people in the North West of England with water and wastewater services.