Ofwat is giving notice to Thames Water that it is making counter-claims relating to underinvestment in sewer flooding and the wastewater network in response to the utility’s request for a price rise in 2014/15.

Westminster Labour Councillors have written to Ofwat to urge the regulator to reject Thames Water’s application to increase prices by 8% for 2014/15.

Thames Water has asked Ofwat to consider increasing the limits on the prices it can charge its customers.

Water UK, the  body which represents all UK water and wastewater service suppliers at national and European level, has published an update briefing on the forthcoming PR09 price review by Ofwat.

Ofwat yesterday published its guidance for companies on how it will go about setting price limits for customers' water and sewerage bills for five years from 2010-15. It takes account of responses to its consultation paper published last October.

Ofwat yesterday published its first major consultation on how it will set price limits for customers' water and sewerage bills for the five years from 2010 to 2015. The consultation paper describes the approach that the regulator will take to make sure that the prices companies charge their customers are designed to deliver the best results for those customers.

The Head of Comparative Efficiency at Ofwat has written to the Regulatory Directors of the water companies to set out in greater detail Ofwat’s policy for the 2009 periodic review and the information requirements for the PR09 business plans the companies will have to submit for the next investment cycle.

Ofwat has started its consultation on the information it intends to collect from the water companies to support the 2009 price review.