Antonia Barton, chief customer officer at Southern Water, said: "We understand that times are challenging for many customers, and we’re doing all we can to support those who need it, while delivering the improvements our customers have told us matter most. READ MORE: Southern Water issue resulted in bottled water stations being set upThe increase is part of the company’s ongoing investment strategy. "This is the biggest ever investment in our water infrastructure, and it’s essential to keep services reliable and sustainable long term. "Every penny of the bill increase will be reinvested into improving our services. Southern Water said the increase will also help expand financial support, reaching almost 200,000 customers, with a minimum discount of 45 per cent on their bill.