The regulator Ofwat has announced the average household water and sewerage bill in England and Wales is set to increase by 3.5% over the next year, but in the South West they're going down by 7%.
Water bills in the region are going down. While customers nationally face an average increase of 3.5 per cent, South West Water customers can look forward to their bills dropping by just over seven per cent. But as John Andrews reports, they'll still be the highest in the country.
Water users in the South West had the first good news they've had in many years today. Their bills are actually going down for a change. While consumers nationally face an average increase of 3.5%, South West Water bills are going down by just over 7%.
But they are still the highest in the country.
Adrian Sanders MP (Lib Dem, Torbay) says that although the South West's bills are coming down closer to the national average, water bills generally should not need to be increased above inflation. He has been talking to our Political Correspondent Bob Constantine in London.