Dwr Cymru Welsh Water has announced it will keep prices below inflation for the seventh consecutive year - with average household bills remaining unchanged from last year.

The company also says it is investing £1.7 billion in the 2015-2020 period to maintain and improve services to customers whilst safeguarding the environment.

The investment includes £120 million across the company’s operating area to upgrade and improve the drinking water network.

Locally the company has recently invested £360,000 to reduce the risk of local sewer flooding in the Abergavenny area. The work, which was completed at the end of January, will help alleviate flooding to some properties during periods of heavy rainfall.

In addition, more than £5 million will be spent in Herefordshire on replacing old iron water mains with new plastic pipes, improving the security of supply to customers in the area.

And a further £2.7 million is going into a major project to improve the bathing water quality at Mumbles, Swansea.

The company is also confirming plans to help more of its customers who are struggling to pay their bills.

60,000 customers currently benefit from the company’s social tariffs which help reduce bills for vulnerable customers.

The new social tariff, HelpU, which offers annual savings of up to £250 or 55% on the average household bill, will now be available to customers whose annual household income is less than £15,000 per year - increased from £12,500.

Welsh Water’s Chief Executive Chris Jones said, “We are pleased to keep prices for the average bill below the rate of RPI inflation for the seventh consecutive year. This continues the trend we have set since 2010 and we remain the only water company to have committed to achieve a decade of below inflation price increases by 2020 whilst also delivering record levels of investment.

“Our unique not-for-profit model means that we can do more for our customers and this is why we already help around 60,000 customers through our different social tariffs.

“We want to help even further. If any customer is struggling to pay with their water and sewerage bills, we would urge them to contact us today so that we can try to help.”