The new rules allow charities to be charged like businesses for surface water drainage, costing the voluntary sector an additional £100m a year.

Martin Dales (pictured left) of the campaigning group dontdrainus.org, who delivered the petition to Downing Street last week, said: “We are extremely disappointed that, despite attracting the highest number of signatures on any issue this year, the government has taken no action whatsoever on this matter.

“Neither have we received any response at all through the Prime Minister's website, as is promised when e-petitions reach just 200 signatures.

“It makes a mockery of the initiative of seeking e-petitions if the government then chooses to ignore the issues it doesn't want to deal with.

“It shows contempt for the people of England in a democratic process and seems to me an outrageous, rude and arrogant way to treat people.”

He added that the group would consider launching a fresh petition unless the prime minister responded by the end of the month.

Call for social tariff

Meanwhile, the Church of England has joined forces with the Scout Association and the Rugby Football Union to urge the water regulator Ofwat to introduce a separate ‘social tariff’ for community and voluntary groups.

Internal polling carried out by the Scout Association shows that 60 per cent of scout groups fear that programmes might be cut to fund increased water bills.

Some groups estimate a massive 1,410 per cent increase in bills from £40 to £564 per quarter.

Stella Creasy, head of public affairs and campaigns for the Scout Association, said: “Some water companies have been very helpful in trying to mitigate the impact, but ultimately only Ofwat can break the deadlock.

“We are urging the government to make Ofwat live up to its responsibilities to implement fair, just and affordable pricing structures.”

Parliamentary calls

An early day motion calling for a social tariff has gathered 67 signatures from MPs, while shadow charities minister Nick Hurd has also recently called for action on rises in water bills for charities.

In a House of Commons debate on the third sector earlier this month, Hurd called for a moratorium on increased water charges until an impact assessment was carried out.

“It is extraordinary that those changes should have been made without any impact assessment,” he said.

“Surely the one thing that government must do in these times is avoid making things harder for people trying to help their communities.

“Will they step in now and impose a moratorium on the changes, at least until and impact assessment is done? That would be a real help now.”