SOUTH WEST WATER COMPLAINTS RISE BY 21%

3.00.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 9th Sep 2008

Cornwall's MPs have responded angrily to news that South West Water had received nearly 9,500 complaints this year - a rise of 21%.

The Liberal Democrat Team for Cornwall has long campaigned for a fairer deal on water charges, arguing for a cap on the proportion of household income that can be taken up by water bills. The group have also proposed 'rising block tariffs' to make sure essential water use isn't charged at the same price as filling up swimming pools or using sprinkler systems.

South West Water made some £185m in profit last year, while unmetered bills are set to rise to £677 a year in 2009-10.

Commenting, North Cornwall's MP, Dan Rogerson, said:

"It's no wonder complaints have risen so sharply while prices continue to rise and the company persists with a sub-standard service.

"Communities are having to fight to get adequate sewage treatment while customers pay more and more.

"Ever since the Conservatives privatised water in the late eighties, people in Cornwall have been paying the price."

Julia Goldsworthy MP added:

"Despite paying some of the highest bills in the country, Cornish people continue to face unacceptably low standards of service.

"Customers in Cornwall have been given a raw deal for far too long. The Government must now deliver its long-promised action to tackle high water bills in the South West."