Anglian Water bills to rise by third to offset £730m investment plan

The region’s biggest water company has said it will invest at least £730 million into Norfolk’s sewage and water services, but this will come at a big cost to customers.

Ofwat, the water company regulator, has agreed Anglian Water can raise bills by 29 per cent, which will mean the average customer will have to pay £140 more a year than it does currently.

Annual bills will rise to £631, compared to the £491 that people are paying on average this year.

It comes as the firm has announced an £11 billion investment plan from 2025 to 2030, which includes creating new reservoirs, installing new pipelines and £2.7 billion for flood and drought resilience.

It is understood Norfolk will see about £730 million of direct investment, but the exact figure is yet to be finalised.

Announcing the investment plan, Mark Thurston, chief executive of Anglian Water, said: “Our investment programme will create thousands of skilled, well-paid jobs in the region, which, in turn, will enable essential growth in housing, commerce and industry.

“This puts Anglian Water at the heart of one of the most thriving and economically vibrant regions of our country. ”

He added that the price increase is among the lowest in the UK, despite the big investment.

However, the move has faced criticism from some people, who believe the public should not be made to pay, arguing there has been “chronic under-investment” from water companies for decades.

Water firms have come under fire in recent years for failing to invest adequately in sewage and water infrastructure, while millions of pounds have been paid to shareholders.

The Water (Special Measures) Bill, has been proposed by House of Lords members, which aims to improve water quality and address sewage discharge through tougher powers.

It follows public anger at the amount of sewage that is released into rivers and lakes every year through storm overflows – a system where wastewater is allowed to be released to avoid homes being flooded at times of exceptional weather.

Terry Jermy, Labour MP for South West Norfolk, has praised the move and hopes it will better protect Norfolk’s rare chalk streams.

He said: “It is a major reform and will allow the Environment Agency to bring forward criminal charges against law-breaking water executives.

“It will create new, tougher penalties, including imprisonment, for water executives when companies fail to co-operate or obstruct investigations.”