Bradford-based Yorkshire Water has helped a healthy surge in half-year profits and turnover at its parent company.

Pre-tax profits at Kelda Group plc were up 19.4 per cent to £124.2 million in the six months to the end of September on turnover which rose by 15.1 per cent from £378.6 million to £435.8 million.

"The group has made a sound start to the year with solid performances from Yorkshire Water, Aquarion and Kelda Water Services," said Kelda chairman John Napier. "We have in place plans to maintain and improve this performance."

Kelda announced an interim dividend of 8.75p up from 8.34p with basic earnings per share up 12.7 per cent to 23p.

Kelda chief executive Kevin Whiteman added: "The increases reflect good all-round performance, in particular a solid start in the first six months of the new five-year price review period from Yorkshire Water where the first six months saw turnover increase 9.1 per cent to £345.1 million and operating profit to £153.1 million from £132.4 million.

"The plans made and actions taken so far mean the company is well placed to achieve the financial and other targets set by Ofwat and Yorkshire Water's own stretching aspirations around customer service, people and environmental performance.

"Ofwat named Yorkshire Water as the top performing water and sewerage company in England and Wales in its overall performance assessment that is published annually and compares the levels of operational and customer service provided by the ten major water and sewerage companies."

Mr Whiteman said that over the past year the company had provided a consistently "higher all round" standard of service than its peers.

The results came as Yorkshire Water announced a three-year £55 million programme to upgrade Esholt sewage treatment works to improve the quality of water being discharged into the River Aire.

It is also embarking on works across the region with a £500 million-plus programme of investments in Yorkshire.

The move is part of an EC Directive on freshwater fish to improve the quality of water discharged into rivers.