Average water bills in England and Wales will increase by 36 per cent over the next five years, water regulator Ofwat has said.
The increase is higher than the £19 per year the regulator proposed back in July, but is lower than water companies had requested.
Ofwat said the increase was enough for water companies in England and Wales to pay for upgrades and reduce sewage discharges.
However, the £31 rise is before inflation has been added so actual bills are likely to be higher.
Ofwat said higher bills would pay for £104bn upgrade for the sector.
David Black, Ofwat chief executive, said the regulator was “acutely aware of the impact that bill increases will have for some customers”, adding that water firms now needed to “rise to the challenge” of making a “significant improvement over time to justify the increase in bills”.
The bill hike varies by region.
