PLANS to allow water firms to increase bills yet again, despite decades of mismanagement and ongoing pollution, were condemned by campaigners today.

Five firms are set to raise charges by up to 5 per cent above the limits initially set by regulator Ofwat.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) confirmed that Anglian Water, Northumbrian Water, South East Water, Southern Water and Wessex Water have been permitted to hike their tariffs following an appeal.

The firms argued that Ofwat’s original decision left them unable to meet the regulatory requirements set out for them.

It follows a ruling in December, in which Southern had already been allowed to increase bills by 53 per cent over the next five years.

Anglican had been allowed 29 per cent, while South East Water had been granted 24 per cent, and Wessex and Northumbrian were given a 21 per cent increase.

Southern then appealed for another 15 per cent, but was granted 3 per cent, Anglican asked for 10 per cent, and given 1 per cent, and South East asked for 18 per cent and given 4 per cent.

Wessex was awarded 5 per cent and had asked for 8 per cent, while Northumbrian was granted 1 per cent after asking for 6 per cent.

Kirstin Baker, who chaired the independent group of experts appointed by the CMA to consider the price controls, said that the request for significant bill increases were “largely unjustified.”

River Action CEO James Wallace said: “Once again, water bill payers are forced to shoulder the cost of decades of failure.

“Millions of households in England face higher bills while rivers continue to suffer from mismanagement by privatised water companies.

“Together they have accrued £22 billion in debt and in 2024 paid out £240 million in dividends, leaving ageing infrastructure to fail and sewage to pollute our rivers.

“Privatised monopolies broke the law, contaminated rivers, extracted billions and now want customers to pay again for their failure.”

Water minister Emma Hardy said: “I understand the public’s anger over bill rises — that’s why I expect every water company to offer proper support to anyone struggling to pay.

“We’ve made sure that investment cash goes into infrastructure upgrades, not bonuses, and we’re creating a tough new regulator to clean up our waterways and restore trust in the system.”