'Nowhere to hide' for water companies, vows government in industry shake up

The creaking h2o manufacture is acceptable for a "once-in-a-generation acceptable of reforms", the authorities has said arsenic it proposes caller authorities to overhaul the system.

Nightmare situations specified arsenic taps moving adust successful Kent and Sussex precocious would beryllium avoided, the authorities says, acknowledgment to a caller proactive strategy that would execute "MOTs" connected h2o companies to preempt large failures.

Ministers are acceptable to unveil a bid of reforms successful parliament connected Tuesday arsenic they determination up with a large shake-up successful the manufacture successful England and Wales, including abolishing the existent strategy of overlapping regulators.

Public assurance successful the aged mode collapsed arsenic sewage spills grew and pipes crumbled, portion h2o institution bosses enjoyed ever bigger bonuses.

The caller plans, outlined successful a White Paper connected Tuesday, would make 1 azygous regulator, arsenic good arsenic an ombudsman to marque it easier for bill-payers to kick astir their suppliers.

But campaigners and the h2o manufacture person warned the proposals won't travel successful soon oregon scope acold enough.

'Nowhere to hide'

The situation caput Emma Reynolds called the proposals a "once-in-a-generation acceptable of reforms" to tackle h2o contamination and "poor show by h2o companies".

Under the government's proposals, h2o companies volition person to execute wellness checks connected their infrastructure to proactively place problems with pipes oregon sewage attraction works earlier they fail.

A caller main technologist astatine the regulator volition besides bring backmost hands-on checks of infrastructure, thing not seen for 20 years.

Ms Reynolds told Sky News: "We're going to determination distant from a strategy whereby h2o companies people their ain homework to having a caller regulator - abolishing Ofwat - with much teeth, truthful that there'll beryllium obscurity to fell for mediocre performance."

It comes arsenic complaints to the user body, the Consumer Council for Water, roseate 50% successful the past twelvemonth portion spot deed an "all clip low".

Its main enforcement Mike Keil said: "The miserable disruption inflicted connected radical successful parts of Sussex and Kent successful caller weeks underlines wherefore meaningful alteration successful the mode h2o companies are regulated and dainty their customers is desperately needed."

He invited the projected caller ombudsman, which would person ineligible powers to resoluteness disputes and unit h2o companies to compensate for problems.

Public outcry implicit h2o companies

The planned changes travel arsenic portion of the government's effect to nationalist fury implicit rising bills, sewage contamination and ample payouts for executives.

Last twelvemonth it commissioned an autarkic reappraisal that made 88 recommendations to repair 1 of the world's lone afloat privatised h2o systems.

But it ruled retired re-nationalisation of the h2o industry, which it sees arsenic excessively costly and disruptive, but which immoderate campaigners accidental is the lone solution.

James Wallace, CEO of River Action, said the authorities "recognises the standard of the freshwater emergency, but lacks the urgency and bold betterment to tackle it".

He said nary of the proposals would "make a meaningful difference" without tackling privatisation, which is the "root origin of this crisis".

Water companies besides warned the changes mightiness travel successful excessively slowly. The authorities expects them earlier the adjacent wide election, but can't yet enactment a day connected it.

A spokesperson for the manufacture assemblage Water UK said: "We cannot spend for immoderate much semipermanent decisions to beryllium taken by a strategy everyone knows has failed.

"The request for large betterment has agelong since been agreed. Delivery present needs to drawback up."

The proposals truthful acold were besides airy connected reforms to different sectors that pollute Britain's waterways, specified arsenic farms, lodging and roads - though much item is expected successful the White Paper connected Tuesday.