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Water bills will rise by £2.70 a month on average from April, a year on from hefty increases for households in many parts of the country.

The average annual bill in England and Wales will increase by £33 to £639, prompting calls for a "stronger safety net" for those unable to pay.

The size of the increase and the cost of the average bill both vary widely across different regions, with one water-only supplier raising prices by 13%.

The industry trade body, Water UK, said bill increases were needed to fund vital upgrades to the system and tackle spillages that have caused a public outcry.

The figures come a few days after it was announced water bills in Scotland would rise by an average of £42 a year (up 8.7%), taking the average bill to £532 a year.

Firms have been granted permission by the regulator to increase bills to pay for upgrades after decades of underinvestment, as public anger has simmered about sewage released into the UK's rivers and seas.

Household water bills climbed by £10 a month to an average of more than £600 last April, and this year will see another above-inflation increase.

The average bill in England and Wales will go up by 5.4%, compared to the latest Consumer Prices Index measure of inflation of 3.4%.

However, different suppliers charge different amounts, and the increases vary sharply too.

Thames Water, which raised prices significantly nearly a year ago, will only increase bills by an average of £3 a year, or 0.4%, this April, taking its average bill to £658 a year.

At the other end of the scale among water and sewerage companies, customers of Severn Trent Water will see a rise of 10% (up £52 to £587). Hafren Dyfrdwy is raising annual bills by 9% (up £54 to £635), and United Utilities is also increasing bills by 9% (up £57 to £660).

Among water-only companies, customers of Affinity Water's central region will see a 13% increase. Bristol Water is raising average bills by 12%, but bills in Affinity Water's East region will only go up by 0.4%.

Some 30,000 properties had no water at the height of the problems which the company blamed, in part, on Storm Goretti and a power cut at a pumping plant.

Industry trade body Water UK said companies were preparing to invest £20bn over the year to secure water supplies, support economic growth and end sewage entering rivers and seas.

"While we urgently need investment in our water and sewage infrastructure, we know that for many this increase will be difficult," said chief executive David Henderson.

He said 2.5 million households would be supported through discounted social tariffs and other affordability measures.

But the Consumer Council for Water, which represents customers, said a patchwork of different social tariff schemes meant where someone lived - rather than their actual level of need - could determine what support they received.

"A stronger safety net is also needed for those who simply can't afford these bill rises," said its chief executive, Mike Keil.

The group said people could cut bills by:

The water regulator Ofwat said it would monitor companies' performance and hold them to account.

"If they do not deliver on their commitments, they will be made to return money to customers in their future bills," it said.

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