MUM Sarah Sunthareswaran has a lot to juggle with a seven-week-old baby, but still finds time to teach her four children about water usage.

The 34-year-old childrens’ swimming instructor said Sophia, six, Alisha, three, Jasmine, two, and baby Amber are learning early.

She said: “The one benefit of having water babies is that all the kids can shower together which really pushes costs down. “In fact, they are at their best behaved when in the water.”

Faced with the hike in bills, the Chesterton resident said: “It’s going to be difficult, we have four children and there is only so much we can do. We definitely teach them to turn the tap off and with two using the toilet and one in potty training they often forget to flush. They are little energy savers themselves.

“Often, I’ll go in after they’ve had a bath to try to save water.”

Thames Water's average bills for a household

  • 2003/04: £201
  • 2004/5: £208 (3.5 per cent rise)
  • 2005/6: £252 (21.2 per cent rise)
  • 2006/07: £265 (5.2 per cent rise)
  • 2007/08: £278 (4.9 per cent rise)
  • 2008/09: £291 (4.7 per cent rise)
  • 2009/10: £302 (3.8 per cent rise)
  • 2010/11: £307 (1.7 per cent rise)
  • 2011/12: £318 (3.6 per cent rise)
  • 2012/13: £336 (5.6 per cent rise)
  • 2013/14: £354 (5.5 per cent rise)
  • Overall: 76.1 per cent rise in 10 years