MORE money than ever before has been spent on keeping the taps flowing, toilets flushing and the lights shining in the north west.

United Utilities' regional investment programme topped £1 billion for the year which is the equivalent of a massive £3 million a day.

And the investment was almost three times as much as the profit the company made across all its businesses.

An audience of City analysts heard that continued growth among United Utilities' other, non-regulated businesses -- telecoms, business process outsourcing, managing other companies' assets at home and abroad -- helped deliver a pre-tax profit of £349 million. News of the record-breaking investment comes as water companies submit their business plans for the next five years. United Utilities has estimated its next round of water quality and environmental improvements will cost £3.2 billion.

Chief executive John Roberts said: "We believe we're spreading the funding of the capital spending which is necessary over the next five years in the fairest and most effective way, across customers, shareholders and the debt market."

Outside the regulated water and electricity distribution, business, United Utilities' support services and telecoms businesses have contributed more than £75 million of operating profits to the group from a break even position three years ago.

Vortex, which operates a number of call centres in the UK, lists household names such as Tesco, Vodaphone, Powergen and Westminster City Council among its clients. Its operating profit has risen by 34 per cent to £25 million.

United Utilities' Contract Solutions division has continued to strengthen its position as the UK's leading utility infrastructure asset manager, increasing operating profit by 15 per cent to £68 million.

Your Communications, the telecoms business, is expected to save around £8 million per year following the integration of another Manchester-based telecoms company, Eurocall. It is aiming for operating profits to be positive in the second half of 2004-05.