Water watchdog meets in London.

Media contact: Karen Gibbs on 0207 931 8502 or Amy Weiser on 0121 345 1006

5 July 2010

The Consumer Council for Water London and South East Committee will be meeting on Wednesday 14 July to question local water companies about water resources in the South East and what they are doing to ensure they have an adequate supply to meet consumer demand into the future.

David Bland, Chair of the Consumer Council for Water London and South East, said: “Especially in the light of recent press reports that so far 2010 has been the driest year since 1929, consumers are reinforcing their consistent view that ensuring there is enough water available to meet demand is one of their top priorities.

“Water companies have recently put forward plans as to how they plan to cope with likely demand for the next 25 years, but three water companies in the area (Thames Water, South East Water and Portsmouth Water) have had their plans called into question. We want to make sure that the issue is being addressed in the most appropriate way for consumers.

“Furthermore, Southern Water has been given permission to take forward an ambitious plan to install water meters for nearly all of its customers by 2015. If more customers are to be switched to metered charges, the change needs to be made sensitively and at an appropriate pace. Better protection needs to be in place for those on low incomes who have unavoidably high water usage before a rapid switch to water meters.”

The Consumer Council for Water London and South East represents customers of Thames Water, Southern Water, Portsmouth Water, South East Water, Sutton and East Surrey Water, Veolia Water Central (formerly Three Valleys Water), and Veolia Water Southeast (formerly Folkestone and Dover Water).

The meeting will take place at 2.00 p.m. on Wednesday 14 July in the Beauchamp Suite of the Grange City Hotel, 8-14 Coopers Row, London EC3N 2BD.

Ends

Notes for editors

1. The Consumer Council for Water was set up in October 2005 to represent consumers in England and Wales.
2. The Consumer Council for Water costs each water customer 23p per year.
3. The Consumer Council for Water has gained £135 million from water companies in reduced prices and extra investments.
4. The Consumer Council for Water has to date taken up over 75,000 consumer complaints about water and sewerage companies, and secured £9.6 million in compensation and rebates for customers.
5. The Consumer Council for Water is a non-departmental public body reporting to the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Welsh Assembly Government. It has a committee for Wales, and four regional committees in England.
6. Our website is www.ccwater.org.uk.

For public enquiries to the Consumer Council for Water, please contact via email on enquiries@ccwater.org.uk, our phone number, 0845 039 2837, or via minicom on 0121 345 1044.