WATER customers in Ledbury who experienced tainted supplies during the summer could find out if they will get rebates on their bills at a meeting on Thursday (September 27).

Water watchdog Ofwat called the meeting of its customer service committee after a string of complaints from Ledbury residents.

Representatives of Welsh Water will be at the meeting, and Ofwat will be asking them to account for the contamination, caused by an algae called geosmin, which had bloomed in the Rivet Wye. A later bloom, by an algae dubbed MIB, also caused contamination.

Ofwat received 52 complaints from Ledbury about the quality of the water during the summer months. Consumers found their water had an "earthy taste" and was effectively undrinkable.

"We will listen to what Welsh Water has to say and see if we can find a way forward," said Ofwat spokesman Clive Sterl.

He said rebates on water charges was one of the possibilities which will be discussed at the meeting.

But Welsh water spokesman Elizabeth Warwick said the Drinking Water Inspectorate, which had analysed the tainted water, had found it to be harmless, despite its taste.

"Although there were taste and smell issues, the water was not harmful and that is the important issue when it comes to compensation. Under these circumstances, the customer had no automatic right to compensation."

But she said Welsh Water was considering the building of an "activated carbon plant" at its water treatment centre in Broomy Hill, Hereford, which supplies Ledbury. This would alleviate future problems.

The algal bloom was caused this year by a combination of warm weather and low river levels.

The meeting is at the Barn House, New Street at 1.30pm. Also at the meeting, Ofwat is looking for a volunteer based in Ledbury to join the committee, to represent the area.