Water bills in Sussex are likely to rise above the national average in the year ahead.

Southern Water, which supplies water and sewerage services to the four million households in the region, is to put up the average bill from £296 to £313 - a 5.9 per cent increase, compared to the national average of 5.5 per cent.

The price increases, revealed by water regulator Ofwat, are likely to come into force in April, just as Sussex is preparing itself for another summer of drought.

With reservoirs at a greatly reduced level, hosepipe bans are likely to continue throughout the year with other restrictions a possibility.

Southern Water's increase is more than three times the inflation rate of 1.9 per cent.

It comes on the heels of news that householders are going to have to cough up for "significant" increases on their fuel bills and extra for council tax.

Last week The Argus revealed council tax bills in Sussex have gone up by as much as 180 per cent since the levy was introduced in 1993.

Water firms said their higher bills were necessary to meet the demands of the region.

Barrie Delacour, Southern Water's corporate strategy director, said: "Southern Water continues to provide services for its four million customers at the same time as spending millions of pounds each week to further improve drinking water, river water and the waters off our beaches.

"This brings big environmental benefits.

"For example, the improvement of our bathing waters can be seen in the fact that all 79 beaches across the region pass European quality standards, with 82 per cent meeting the excellent standard, good enough to qualify for a Blue Flag.

"Our improvement programme continues this year around the South-East and this long-term investment is balanced against the need to keep down prices."

Bills and booklets explaining the charges will be sent to all customers.

Work to address key areas of customer concern will include projects to improve odour control at waste-water treatment works, measures to improve the taste and pressure of drinking water and the continuation of a campaign to stop water main leaks.

In Sussex, a scheme to help prevent flooding has begun in the Meads area of Bognor and work is under way on a £1.3 million scheme to refurbish the water supply works at East Hoathly.

In addition work is being carried out on a series of schemes to tackle the drought and safeguard water supplies.

This includes installing larger pumps at the Stanhope Water Supply Works in Worthing so an extra 2.5 million litres of water can be taken from the source.

A South East Water spokeswoman said: "On average, prices will rise this year by 4.73 per cent inclusive of inflation.

"The changes in prices were agreed with Ofwat as part of the five-yearly review of water company prices.

"The main reasons for the price rises are firstly to enable the company to invest so it can maintain its assets and, secondly, to invest in water resources to meet growth in demand from existing and new customers."

An Ofwat spokesman said: "Bill increases are necessary so water companies are able to continue to maintain water and sewerage to the standards customers expect and to carry out repairs where necessary to reduce flooding."

He added: "They are also needed to ensure that they have water resources in the future to meet future demand.

"Imposing demand restrictions during times of drought is a necessary step so that water companies can continue to maintain services."

If water firms fail their customers with interruptions in supply, allowing unnecessary flooding or by not replying to correspondence and complaints within a set time they could be liable to claims for compensation.

Their duties are set out in the industry's guarantee of service scheme
Thursday, February 23, 2006