Household water bills will rise by an average of 5.4 per cent from April, the industry has confirmed amid claims customers were being ‘milked for profit’. Households in the Bristol area Water will see bills rise 12 per cent while Affinity Water (central region) customers were warned they have a 13 per cent jump coming. Water UK said the cash raised from water bills could only be used to fund infrastructure that had been independently determined to be 'new, necessary and value for money'. The postcode lottery of financial assistance created by existing water company social tariffs is unfair and unsustainable in the face of rising water bills.' Until water companies are owned and governed for public and environmental benefit, using long-term patient capital, we will keep seeing regulatory failure and polluted rivers.'