Activists, trade unions, and even celebrities have called for the new UK government to stop the attempts by the water industry to raise customers' bills.

After inflation, the average person's bill would increase by 49% by 2030. Some customers could even see an increase of up to 91% in their water bills, according to the Guardian.

In a joint letter, campaigners from Greenpeace, Surfers Against Sewage, River Action, the Rivers Trust, and activists across the country appealed to Keir Starmer.  The letter states: “Saturday marked 35 years since the Water Act 1989 established our current model of water and sewage management, including privatisation and top-down regulation.

“Bills have risen at twice the rate of inflation. No new drinking reservoirs have been delivered. A quarter of our supply leaks out of our pipes. Debts are unpaid; plans ‘uninvestable’. And last year, operators released sewage for over 3m hours into our rivers and seas.

“If the current failed model remains in place, Labour could be fighting the next election with some bills topping £915 a year and sewage a greater threat to our health than ever.”

Ofwat’s decision to approve the rise in bills has been delayed until July 11th due to the election.

A study also recently revealed that the average customer wastes more than £300 a year with water inefficiency, and by using water more efficiently, some households may be able to offset the proposed increase in bills.

Water companies are aiming for a reduction from 140 litres per person per day today to 127 litres per person by 2030. However, according to data from economists at Cebr on behalf of Kingfisher, water usage per person is set to rise to 146 litres per day by 2030 without further intervention.

Thierry Garnier, Kingfisher CEO, said: "Avoiding water waste isn’t just the right thing to do from an environmental point of view, it’s also a way to save increasingly significant sums of money.

“By making simple changes in the home and being more conscious about how we all use water, it’s possible to offset the impact of coming bill rises and safeguard this essential resource for the future."