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Watchdog: Water poverty to increase in future

Water poverty is set to become an increasing problem in the UK, the Consumer Council for Water (CCW) has claimed.

According to the watchdog, people can be said to be 'water poor' if they use over three per cent of their after-tax income on water bills.

The comments come following the revelation from industry regulator Ofwat that bills will rise by around 5.8 per cent in England and Wales from tomorrow - a figure far above the current inflation rated.

CCW pointed out that around one third of residents in the south west, the most expensive water region, could expect to suffer in this way by 2010 should current trends continue.

Speaking to the BBC, the body's national chair Yve Buckland said: "What we are worried about is, one by one, poorer families falling into this poverty trap around their water bill."

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