Watchdog rejects water firm's bid to up charges

VERAGE North East water bills will stay just below £500 after a watchdog turned down a bid from Northumbrian Water to be allowed higher charges.

- GRAEME WHITFIELD Journal editor [e-mail]

> Northumbrian Water's processing plant at Bran Sands near Redcar

Northumbrian Water was one of five UK water firms who sent to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in a bid to have their billing levels reviewed.

The ruling brings to an end a longrunning process where Northumbrian and other water companies appealed against initial decisions by the water industry watchdog Ofwat which allowed bill rises, but not to the level some companies wanted.

Northumbrian, which has the lowest bills of any full-service water company in the UK, said it needed to charge more to have funds for environmental improvements.