Watchdog's fears over water bills

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/5378068.stm

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The Consumer Council has urged the government to guarantee that water bills will not soar from 2010 when water services become self-financing.

The council has claimed that its powers are being curtailed and the consumer's voice eroded in the government's rush to introduce water charges.

It presented its concerns to a meeting of assembly members and business leaders at Stormont on Monday.

Chief executive Eleanor Gill said the government had a duty to protect people

She said that the council felt the consumer's view had not been taken into account in full within the legislation.

"We are concerned that this is going to erode the consumer's voice, it is going to diminish the regulator's power and, above all, it is going to leave us open to rising prices from 2010 and onwards," she said.

"We are concerned that too many of the decisions are being taken out of the public domain."

Water charges are scheduled to be introduced in 2007 in Northern Ireland.