English water firms face backlash over plans to ask customers to pay £96bn to cut leaks

Upgrades and plans for 30,000 new jobs depend on adding up to 156 extra a year on bills

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Water companies are facing a backlash from campaigners after revealing they will ask customers to pay for a record 96bn investment to fix raw sewage leaks, build new reservoirs and reduce leaks.

The main water and sewerage companies want the regulator, Ofwat, to approve their spending plans for 2025-30, which they say amount to almost doubling the investment into providing clean water, protecting the environment and securing future water resources.