By Alexander Robertson For Mailonline
Published: 09:26 GMT, 6 February 2019 | Updated: 12:55 GMT, 6 February 2019
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The average water bill in England and Wales will rise by 2 per cent later this year despite providers paying out million-pound dividends and criticism over leaky pipes.
Today's announcement means that the bill for the average household in the country will go up by £8 to £415 from April 1.
The Consumer Council for Water responded to the increase by calling on the industry to fund more financial assistance for low-income customers.
The watchdog said any increase would be unwelcome for struggling households faced with other rising living costs, and more could be done to help them.
CCWater chief executive Tony Smith said: 'Many customers will see their bills rise from April, largely due to inflation.
Today's announcement means that the bill for the average household will go up by £8 to £415 from April 1 (stock image)
'Even just a small increase has the potential to hurt the three million households who tell us they struggle to afford their water bills.
'We'd like to see companies go further by dipping into their own pockets to help customers that are already feeling the pinch.'
It comes after analysis by the Mail on Sunday showed Britain's biggest water companies had paid out £1 billion in dividends to shareholders in 2018.
Last year the top nine water suppliers in the UK lavished shareholders with vast sums ahead of a crackdown by watchdog Ofwat later this year into the pay of executives.
Firms have been criticised by both the Conservatives and Labour for overcharging customers and for wasting 840 million
