Households in the North West have no choice over who supplies their water, yet United Utilities spends money on television, radio and other advertising, marketing and sponsorship.

Some of these adverts encourage customers to save water. We agree that reducing water waste is important — but customers should be entitled to ask whether expensive mass advertising is the most effective way to achieve it.

United Utilities should tell its customers exactly how much it spends each year on advertising, marketing and sponsorship, how much individual water-saving campaigns cost, and what measurable results they achieve.

Most importantly, we want an answer to a very simple question:

How much water did these advertising campaigns actually save, and would spending the same money finding and repairing leaks and improving infrastructure have saved even more?

Customers are being asked to use less water while paying increasing bills. We believe United Utilities should apply the same expectations of efficiency and responsible use of resources to its own operations.

Where customers need advice about saving water, greater use could be made of communications United Utilities already sends us, including bills and emails, providing practical information about how households can reduce consumption without the cost of large-scale advertising campaigns.

Money should be prioritised towards measures that deliver demonstrable benefits: finding and repairing leaks, improving ageing water and wastewater infrastructure, reducing pollution and protecting our rivers and lakes, and providing practical water-saving measures and devices.

United Utilities should also consider positive incentives. Households that demonstrate genuine reductions in water consumption could be rewarded, while practical ideas that produce proven, measurable water savings could be encouraged and recognised.

We are not asking United Utilities to stop encouraging people to conserve water. We are asking for transparency, accountability and evidence that customers' money is being spent where it achieves the greatest benefit.

When customers cannot simply choose another supplier, we believe it is entirely reasonable to ask our water company to show us that every pound spent on advertising, marketing and sponsorship represents better value than spending that money on saving water and improving the system itself.