A major report into the England and Wales’ ‘broken’ water industry has set out recommendations for reform, including scrapping the current water regulator Ofwat.
The UK water sector has been under fire for several years. Last month MPs called for ‘root and branch’ reform of the ‘failing sector’, while a report in April found that there were almost 600,000 confirmed sewage discharges in 2024.
The Independent Water Commission, which delivers recommendations to the government on reforming the water sector, has now published a major report setting out 88 recommendations to bring about “fundamental reform”.
Commission chair Sir Jon Cunliffe said: “In this report I have considered what is best for the long-term future of water.
“Restoring trust has been central to our work. Trust that bills are fair, that regulation is effective, that water companies will act in the public interest and that investors can get a fair return. Our recommendations to achieve this are significant.”
The headline recommendation...