Cumbria’s water provider United Utilities has reported slight increases in revenues and profits for the half year.

The company said revenues reached £935.5 million for the half year to September 30 – compared to £916.4m in the same period in 2018.

Reported operating profits were £383m, up on the £339.1m recorded during the first half of 2018.

The interim dividend per ordinary share stands at 14.2p, also up from the 2018 figure of 13.76p.

In the results, United Utilities said it had reduced the average household bills by 10 per cent in real terms since 2010, made significant strides in improving its customer service and had supported thousands of vulnerable households.

Its ongoing £3.9 billion investment programme was also “creating long-term value for all our stakeholders”, it said.

Steve Mogford, chief executive of United Utilities, said: “Our customers are at the heart of everything we do – our customer satisfaction scores are consistently among the best in the water sector.

“I’m pleased with the transformation we have achieved over recent years – we’ve delivered better levels of service for customers, a more resilient network and real gains in efficiency.

“Our focus on innovation, coupled with sustained investment, is helping us to deliver against a challenging set of performance targets, while also protecting and enhancing the environment and supporting our local communities.”

Cumbria remains the focus of United Utilities’ biggest and most high-profile investment projects.

The company is already well into delivering its £300m West Cumbria Water Supplies project, that will take water from Thirlmere Reservoir to bring more reliable and sustainable water supplies into Allerdale and Copeland.

The project, which involves 100km of new pipeline, is due to be completed by 2022.

And it is gearing up to undertake one of the largest projects in its history by replacing large sections of the ageing Haweswater Aqueduct, which links the Cumbrian reservoir to a water treatment works north of Manchester.

Initial work has already started in the Kendal area, with the multi-million-pound project set for completion by the early 2030s.