A WATER watchdog is to consider details of price increases for customers of up to 6.5 per cent when it meets in Manchester later this month.

The upsurge in water bills will come under the spotlight when WaterVoice North West meets on Thursday, February 20.

Customers face an overall increase in charges of around 6.5 per cent in 2003-04 and further rises in 2004-05. When price limits were set in 1999, the Government decided that environmental and drinking water quality improvements costing £3 billion were necessary in the North West. Although bills initially fell from April 2000, they are now rising again to cover the cost of this investment.

The process to set price limits from 2005 to 2010 is now under way and WaterVoice North West is challenging whether improvements need to continue at their current pace.

Chairman Maurice Terry said: "Analysis of our drinking water and of rivers and beaches show higher quality standards than ever before. The need for further improvements must be justified properly. Customers' willingness to keep paying more and more for further improvements should not be assumed."

Other items on the agenda for the meeting, to be held at Manchester's Bridgewater House, Whitworth Street at 1.30pm, will be a review of United Utilities' progress in meeting service improvement targets and an update on water quality issues. The meeting is open to the public.