Average water bills likely to hit £2,000 a year by 2050, says Ofwat

Campaigners argued the costs did not need to be passed on to consumers. Photograph: Liudmila Chernetska/Getty Images

The average household water bill in England and Wales is likely to reach £2,000 a year by 2050 if supplies are to be maintained, the industry regulator has said.

In its submission to the government-commissioned water inquiry, led by Sir Jon Cunliffe, Ofwat said “significant investment” was needed to secure enough water and avoid the country running out, and that this would cause costs to be piled on to water bills in coming years.