Thames Water wants to get tough on households who stick up two fingers to those of us who pay our bills on time.

At the moment, the water firm cannot cut off supplies because of concerns about public health.

But it is asking the Government to allow it reduce flow of water to a trickle – not to those who can’t pay, but those who won’t.

And, with about 18,000 homes in Oxfordshire in debt to the company, who can blame it? Non-paying customers are costing the rest of us £11 a year each.

A similar scheme to “inconvenience” customers into paying their bill exists in Australia.

It makes sense.

Thames Water is not planning to cut people off and leave them to dehydrate.

Instead, pressure in taps would be reduced to a trickle and prevent non-payers filling a deep bath, or watering the garden.

The knock-on effect of the substantial number of those who ignore the red bills places a strain on the honest.

It is also shown in planned water price increases over the next four years.

Not only does it bump up our charges, but means less money to fix our ageing network of sewers and water pipes.

The company is regularly criticised for its service, but in this instance – albeit controversially – it has got the right idea.