UK water company chiefs have come in for sharp criticism in the press this weekend for taking big pay increases at the same time as big hikes in customers’ bills.

A report in yesterday’s Sunday Times newspaper said the senior executives had received

“ double-digit pay rises while raising customers’ bills well above inflation”. The report is based on an analysis of water company annual reports and accounts.

United Utilities and Thames Water were singled out for specific comment. At United Utilities, while customer charges were raised by 6%, three senior executives received pay increases of more than a third.  At Thames Water, the report said that while customers now faced bill increases of 3% above inflation over the next five years, one unnamed director, thought to be David Owens, previous chief executive at Thames, was paid £1.2 million  last year.

The report also highlighted payments by water industry regulator Ofwat of more than £285,000 for its interim director of policy and communications during 2009-10.