A WATER company that supplies thousands of customers in western Hampshire is freezing its prices until April 2015.

SEMBCORP Bournemouth Water (SBW) is also planning to cut bills in 2015-2016 and keep any subsequent price hikes below the rate of inflation until 2020.

The initial price freeze means the average household bill will be pegged at £153 for 2014-2015. Managing director Roger Harrington said: “We’ve listened to a lot of customers over the last two years and taken on board their feedback.

"We’ve been able to develop a plan that will bring improvements to the service while freezing all bills next year, cutting bills in 2015 and then keeping any bill increases below inflation until at least 2020.

“By cutting bills and improving the service we will be doing more for less.”

SBW has been rated by regulator OFFWAT as providing the best customer service of all water companies over the last two years But Mr Harrington said: “Being good is not good enough these days. We will continue to improve the experience for our customers in the future.”

The company is planning an improvement in customer services, a further reduction in leakage from water pipes and an eight per cent cut in the amount of energy used to deliver water.

SBW supplies drinking water to approximately half a million people in parts of Hampshire, Wiltshire and Dorset.