Sir.-I have just received my water bill for the first half of the year, and am shocked.

As a single person, and a pensioner, I live in a small two-bedroomed maisonette and my annual charge is now £214.38.

I have consulted South East Water's news archive site, and this states that OFWAT has allowed South East Water to increase charges for the coming year by a staggering 19.25 per cent.

Why are so many companies being allowed to increase their charges for essential services like this - well over the rate of inflation?

-F Sutton, Basingstoke.