In a new paper, Time to pull the plug on the water privatisation model, Professor Sir Dieter Helm says the current water model needs an overhaul: “The sheer scale of public anger is a once-in-a-30-year opportunity to put it right, reform properly and create a new model that lasts,” he said. He calls for: A […]
Industry body Water UK has apologised on behalf of water and sewage companies in England for not acting quickly enough on sewage spills. To put things right, the industry plans to make the largest ever investment in storm overflows as part of a major programme to reduce spills into rivers and seas. In addition, a […]
Largest ever fine imposed for environmental offences in Devon and Cornwall as South West Water is told by court ‘incidents of pollution will no longer be tolerated’ South West Water (SWW) has been fined more than £2 million for a series of environmental offences across Devon and Cornwall spanning a period of four years. It […]
Interesting feature on locals’ views around plans by Thames Water for a new reservoir in Oxfordshire, in the Guardian It will be like a giant flan case full of water dumped on a marsh, says Julie Mabberley. She is discussing the plan to put a 150bn-litre reservoir, spanning almost two miles across, to the south-west […]
According to the government, it has set out “a new plan to clean up our waters and ensure a plentiful supply for the future”. Specific measures include £1.6 billion investment brought forward to speed up vital water infrastructure projects a commitment to consult on a ban on the use of plastic in wet wipes fines […]
Looking ahead to the official release of storm overflow monitoring data Stuart Colville gives the industry perspective on the expected fall in spills. There were fewer overflow spills last year into rivers and seas, and the average spill was shorter The length of overflow spills reduced by a third, while the number of individual overflow […]
Under investment, insufficient government strategy, and inadequate co-ordination has resulted in a failure to “treat water with the care and importance it deserves”, warns Industry and Regulators Committee. The Industry and Regulators Committee has been investigating the regulation of the water industry, including looking at Ofwat’s performance in relation to its statutory duties, the investment […]
Britain’s biggest water company has hired Rothschild and Slaughter & May to help evaluate financing options for its vast balance sheet, Sky News learns Thames Water is facing crunch talks over its finances amid mounting concerns about its ability to service a debt mountain which stands at more than £14bn. Sky News has learnt that […]