After years of overflowing sewers and sewage dumped in scenic water ways, residents across the region say they are “disgusted” with Thames Water’s plans to hike water bills – which may ignite new protests over the issue.

Britain's biggest supplier had initially sought a 44% rise to bills across the five-year period to 2030 - but was it is now proposing a 52% increase.

That would place the average bill at around £696, if the firm is given extra spending allowances by the regulator OFWAT.

The company says the extra money is needed for investment in the sewer network and other improvements.

But the announcement has been met with outrage from communities who have spent months – and in some cases, years – dealing with sewage discharges from Thames Water. 

“Personally, I though it was a joke," said Carol Kennedy, who has lived in Hampstead Norreys, Berkshire, for more than 15 years.

"It’s ridiculous. They have these shareholders they are paying all this money to."

Earlier in the year, residents in the village reported cars splashing people with sewage that was overflowing onto pavements in Water Street.

The situation prompted fed-up residents to put up a sign that gave the road a new name – “Sewage Street.”

Carol said: “We have had sewage in our garden - but they have dealt with that quite quick. Its happened on several occasions.

“In some ways Thames Water have been very responsive - and in some ways they have been in useless.”

Carol and other residents are also concerned about sewage being discharged into the nearby Pang waterway – a concern that is echoed by communities across the region.

The banks along the River Misbourne in Chalton St Giles look like “a disaster area” due to sewage overflows from nearby Thames Water storage tanks, according to parish councillor Robert Gill in Chalfont St Giles.

He said that: “It turned this pretty little stream into a bog land covered in greenery.”

Flooding containing sewage has left parts of Chalfont St Giles looking like bog land according to one parish councillor. Flooding containing sewage has left parts of Chalfont St Giles looking like bog land according to one parish councillor. (Image: Robert Gill)

The pollution became so bad that the village had to be withdrawn from Buckinghamshire’s Best Kept Village competition last month.

And once-popular scenic spots in the village remain cordoned-off due to concerns about illness caused by flooding from sewage-saturated water. At the time, Thames Water apologised for discharging diluted sewage into the River Misbourne.

The village pond remains off-limits, and the community hopes it will reopen in time for a village party next week – a party which is a replacement of the annual village show that was cancelled due to the sewage issue this summer.

Regarding the planned bill hike, Mr Gill said his reaction alternated “between disbelief and disgust.”

He said: “I like to take a balanced view – I know that these companies need investment to upgrade these systems. But they have had money since the 70s and its obviously not gone into the works that need to be done.

“I want to know for sure that it’s not going back in to investors pockets.”

He added: “I think people are up for some form of protest or going into London to join the protest Feargal Sharkey is setting up in October.

“The rules need to be tightened up. Government needs to step up.”

Conservationist Feargal Sharkey is helping to organise a march through central London to Parliament Square to highlight water pollution on Saturday October 26.

The widespread anger at Thames Water has led Olivia Bailey, the MP for Reading West and Mid Berkshire, to put pressure on OFWAT in the hope they will enforce stricter rules on sewage spills.

In a statement, the MP said: “People in Reading West and Mid Berkshire are fed up with leaky pipes and sewage being dumped in our beautiful rivers and being allowed to run down our streets.

“That's why in my submission to OFWAT on the proposed bill increase I have called on OFWAT to increase Thames Water's targets for reducing sewage spills and water leakage and for an increase in investment in water infrastructure which should be delivered without additional costs to consumers.”

Last month Newbury MP Lee Dillon wrote to Thames Water, saying that sewage discharges into "precious chalk streams, including the Kennet, Pang, and Lambourn" were unacceptable. 

Chris Weston, CEO Thames Water, said customers' money will be “invested in new infrastructure” and improving services for the benefit of households and the environment. 

He said: “They are not being asked to pay twice, but to make up for years of focus on keeping bills low.”

“In parallel, we are increasing our support to bill payers by introducing an improved social tariff for those struggling to pay, increasing by nearly 70% the number of those who will benefit from this support, to 647,000 households.”