THE region’s water companies have announced below inflation price rises for the coming year.

Northumbrian Water will increase prices by 1.2 per cent, meaning an average annual bill will rise from £359 this year to £364 in 2014/15.

The company said its prices were among the cheapest in the country.

Heidi Mottram, Northumbrian Water’s chief executive officer, said: "Although appreciating that any increase in charges will not be welcomed, our household customers will still pay an average of less than £1 per day for all their drinking water and sewerage services which represents great value for money.

“And the average increase this year compared to last year works out at about 10p a week.”

Yorkshire Water announced that it was increasing its prices by 1.5 per cent – a rise which was lower than planned.

It means the company’s average annual bill will increase from be £368 this year to £373 in 2014/15.

Yorkshire Water said prices were agreed every five years by industry regulator Ofwat and a 1.6 per cent rise in addition to inflation was originally scheduled.

But the company says it had listened to customers and reduced profits in order to limit the rise on the average household bill to £6, instead of the planned £12.

Richard Flint, the company’s chief executive, said: “Customers in North Yorkshire already pay some of the lowest average bills in the country but we’ve heard the message that we need to continue to deliver a great service while keeping bills as low as possible.

“We know many customers are feeling the pinch and have taken action by limiting the price rise for this coming financial year.”