The average water bill is set for a price hike of about 10p a week for customers of Essex and Suffolk Water.

It means an increase of about £5 for the year from April 2014 for the company’s 1.8 million customers.

For the 2013-14 year the cost was £222.

The increase in charges for each of the five years from 2010 to 2015 was determined and announced in 2009 by the water regulator Ofwat.

Essex & Suffolk Water is currently completing its £150 million investment in the Abberton Reservoir Scheme, which will secure water supplies to 1.5 million people in Essex for many years and benefit the area’s habitat and wildlife biodiversity.

Heidi Mottram, Essex & Suffolk Water’s CEO, said: “Although appreciating that any increase in charges will not be welcomed our household customers will still pay an average of 62p per day for their drinking water services which represents great value for money.

“We are also continuing to ensure that we run our business as efficiently and sustainably as possible.”