The UK’s water regulator OFWAT has apparently given the go ahead for the review and likely implementation of heavy increases in the household water and sewerage charges for many residents throughout the UK.

OFWAT is expected to put in a formal report on the proposals from several of the UK’s main water companies who are requesting the price increases. One Bristol company in particular is pushing the application of a twenty-nine per cent increase in household bills whilst many are pushing increases between seventeen and twenty-nine per cent.

When asked about the reasons for the dramatic increases there didn’t seem to be a common denominator and some of the reasons ranged from costs for stiffer environmental controls though to costs in relation to the quality of drinking water.

One thing is very much certain, whilst OFWAT might deem the rise in costs appropriate there is sure to be a negative response from an economy in recession and given the additional information that water companies are predicting pre-tax profits in excess of £2 Billion, it might be a bitter pill for the public to swallow.