Important Statement From Water Champions.

Councillor Phil Bateman is Chairman of the South Staffordshire Customer Consultative Committee. This Committee is 'South Staffordshire Water Company's Consumer Champion and today they have made an important statement'.

The statement reads "Water customers benefit from high service and efficiency at time of rising water bills

South Staffordshire Water has been praised by the South Staffordshire Water Customer Consultative Committee for the company’s performance following the publication of a report from the water regulator (Ofwat), suggesting that exceptional standards of service are being maintained by the water company despite the reductions in costs and staff numbers in recent years.

A report from the water regulator, Ofwat, commended the Company for it’s high efficiency and it’s high standards of service. The Regulator quoted South Staffs Water as an example to those who suggest that if cost reductions are made then it is certain that standards will slip.

The Regulator’s report quotes: “There is evidence that good standards of customer service do not necessarily require higher costs. For example, South Staffordshire has the third highest overall score in the water supply and customer service overall performance assessment for water and sewerage companies in 2003-04 and is banded A for both water operating and capital maintenance relative efficiency”.

Chairman of the Customer Committee, Councillor Phil Bateman, said “It is right for praise to be given to the water company. Their staff have worked hard to improve their operations so that costs are kept to a minimum but service standards are never compromised.”

He added, “We will continue to encourage the company to look for further improvements. Customers will soon receive water bills that are around 14% higher than last year following the Regulator’s price review, to enable the Company to meet its future obligations. We urge customers with payment difficulties to contact the water company immediately to discuss ways to avoid getting into debt. Whilst water bills are rising for customers of South Staffordshire Water, they will remain more than 20% lower than the national average.”

Note to editors:

1. South Staffordshire Water serves large parts of the Black Country, including Walsall, Sandwell and Dudley, together with areas such as Tamworth, Burton, Lichfield, Sutton Coldfield and Cannock. In total, the Company serves a population of 1.2 million. The Company supplies 330 million litres of water every day across a network of pipes that total 6,000 km in length.

2. The Ofwat report: Water and sewerage service unit costs and relative efficiency 2003-04 is available from the Ofwat website: www.ofwat.gov.uk