* Householders in Argyll could find their water bills being trebled if

they found themselves outwith the budgetary protection of Strathclyde

Regional Council.

This was the claim made by the council's director of water, Mr Ernest

Chambers, as he contemplated the consequences of his authority being

terminated as a result of Government plans for the reorganisation of

local government.

Referring to his department's #30m programme to modernise 70 water

treatment plants in Argyll, Mr Chambers contended that the cost of the

improvements represented #123 for every resident in the Argyll

sub-region.

He explained: ''Out of all that could come a scenario where the actual

charges levied on people in Argyll for water could well be three times

higher than they would be if they were still part of the region.''