Atherstone and district householders can expect to pay around £14 LESS for their water and sewerage bills from April.

The good news comes from industry body Water UK which announced a four per cent cut for England and Wales today.

The new charges for 2020/21 are set to keep the area's supplier – Severn Trent Water – as the people's champion for the lowest combined rates across the country.

While average water bills in England and Wales are £396 at the moment, Severn Trent household users pay more than £40 less – around £354 a year.

The April bills dropping through letter boxes – and via emails – will see a new yearly average of around £340.

The decision to cut the bills comes after regulator Ofwat said in December that water firms nationally must cut the average household bill by £50 – or 12 per cent before inflation – over a five-year period.

It also includes a commitment from water companies to produce zero net carbon emissions by 2030.

Water UK said companies plan to almost double the number of people getting help with their bills every year, up from 760,000 customers now to at least 1.4 million by 2025.

Water UK chief executive Christine McGourty said the industry is committed to giving customers good value for money and for around £1 a day, customers get the "world-class quality water they need" as well as their wastewater managed responsibly.

Meanwhile, Severn Trent is planning a drop-in session in North Warwickshire later this month when it meets members of the community in Nether Whitacre ahead of work to replace water pipes in the village.

The company is to invite local people to discuss new water pipe installation proposals beneath Station Road to make sure residents have a reliable water supply for the future.

The venue for the session is Nether Whitacre Village Hall on Station Road from 4pm to 7pm on Wednesday February 22.