Plans to reform the Water Service have proved controversial

It had been planned that the Water Service would become a government-owned company in 2006.

However, Regional Development Minister Shaun Woodward said this had been put back to April 2007 so they could create a system that was fair to consumers.

The Consumer Council's Eleanor Gill welcomed the delay, adding it was just a "reprieve" for low income groups.

Last year, the government projected that most Northern Ireland households could expect to pay between �315 and �415 per year in water charges.

Former NIO minister John Spellar said the average household would pay �115 from April 2006, rising to �340 in 2008.

There has been widespread opposition to the introduction of the charges, but Mr Woodward said on Tuesday that the case for water and sewerage charges "remains strong".

The government must now ensure that any new water and sewerage charge is fair, affordable and sustainable Eleanor Gill Consumer Council

He said the revenue generated could fund ongoing investment in water and sewerage services and enable increased investment for public services.

The minister said the extra time before charges are introduced would help to protect vulnerable and low income households, as well as allowing time to develop a policy on metering.

Eleanor Gill said the delay showed that the government recognised "the need to take time to get it right".

"For those facing charges without protection, this is merely a reprieve," she added.

"The government must now ensure that any new water and sewerage charge is fair, affordable and sustainable.

"It is our considered view that the current proposals fall short on all three counts for households and business alike, and we need to ensure that changes are made during this delay period."

Campaign

Nipsa general secretary John Corey said the delay would give Northern Ireland political parties an opportunity to "take control of the issue and stop the government introducing these charges".

Mr Corey, who also chairs the Coalition Against Water Charges, said its campaign to retain the Water Service and its staff as a public service would continue.

Federation of Small Businesses spokesman John Friel said it was a "stay of execution" for the "already over-taxed and over-burdened small business community in Northern Ireland".

"A one-year delay is not good enough: these water charges should be scrapped," he added.