WATER bills in Bradford are set to rise broadly in line with inflation - leaving consumers with the second cheapest in the UK.

Bradford-based utility Yorkshire Water said the average one per cent increase in water and sewage charges from April 1 will help to fund planned £318 million of investment over the next 12 months.

The investment will ensure the firm meets its three major challenges posed by climate change, a growing population, and ageing infrastructure.

Average annual bills for Yorkshire Water customers will rise by £5 to £366 a year which Yorkshire Water said is £33 cheaper than the national average.

The higher charges come into force as Yorkshire Water starts the second year of its bigger ever investment programme which will total £3.8 billion between 2015 – 2020. Over the next 12 months the company will focus on improving water and sewerage services, including drinking water quality and waste water treatment. Investment will also be made to conserve moorland, protect the environment from flooding, and improve rivers.

Richard Flint, Yorkshire Water chief executive, said: “It is of paramount importance for us to keep our customers’ bills fair and affordable and that’s why we are the second cheapest water firm in the UK.

“The slight increase this year has been agreed with Ofwat and is largely due to inflation and the simple fact that the price of many of the products and services we use as a company has risen.

“Along with income from customer bills, strategic borrowing will also provide a vital revenue stream to enable us to invest £318m. This investment will help us continue to maintain, manage, and improve crucial water and sewerage services that the public rely on.

“It is never an easy decision to increase bills but we have committed with Ofwat to keep our prices lower or approximately at the rate of inflation.”

Work scheduled over the next five years includes spending £14 million on storm tanks to upgrade the sewer network to improve flood protection; £13 million to replace old Victorian iron water pipes with modern plastic equivalents for 20,000 homes and

restoring 379 km of the region’s river environment to good ecological status, including parts the river Aire.

Yorkshire Water said help is available for customers struggling to pay their bills, including a Community Trust of nearly £1 million which is used to clear the arrears of 2,000 of its most indebted customers For more information on customer support packages call 0345 1 24 24 24 or visit yorkshirewater.com/billhelp.