WESSEX Water has been urged by Liberal Democrat Parliamentary hopeful Gideon Amos to scrap a ‘disgraceful’ 12 per cent hike in its bills this year.

Mr Amos, who is the party’s candidate for the next General Election in the newly reshaped Taunton and Wellington constituency, said there should not be any price rises until water firms scrapped ‘insulting’ overseas dividends and executive bonuses.

Water UK has released figures which forecast water bill price changes which showed in Somerset they were expected to rise by £59 a year in 2024-25.

Mr Amos said: “People in our area should not have to endure this price hike.

“During a cost-of-living crisis, it is a slap in the face to all those in our community who now have to pay more to water companies who have for years been pumping filthy sewage into our rivers.

“This disgraceful price hike should be scrapped immediately.

“There should be no price rises until water firms scrap insulting overseas dividends and executive bonuses.

“What is even more scandalous is that Conservative Ministers have just stood aside and let water companies walk all over their customers.

“Wessex Water should be digging into their own pockets for once and not force these additional costs on to people in Taunton and Wellington.

“There should be an immediate end to sky-high bonuses and payments going to overseas investors.

“Money that should instead be going straight on fixing our crumbling infrastructure.”

A Wessex Water spokesperson said: “Our bills are increasing because inflation remains high, while we are investing a record £420 million this year in water and sewerage services.

"This includes multi-million pound projects to improve river health.

“While bills remain lower in real terms than they were 15 years ago, we recognise that any increase is unwelcome and we urge any customers who are struggling to pay to get in touch so we can support them.

"Wessex Water was the first UK company to introduce social tariffs, and we believe nobody should spend more than five per cent of their disposable household income on their water bill.

“The water industry regulator Ofwat sets the rate of return to investors for the equity they have invested in the business.

"Dividend payments last year represented an approximate 5.5 per cent return – this is similar to the interest currently being paid on a high street savings account.”