Proposals for ‘broken’ water system revealed

CIEH welcomes inclusion of public health professionals on regional water authorities, while SAS maintains report “falls massively short” of reform needed

Eighty-eight recommendations have been made by the Independent Water Commission’s (IWC) review of the regulatory system for the water sector in England and Wales.

The Commission’s report was released shortly after the Environment Agency (EA) cited consistently poor performance from the nine water and sewerage companies in the region, with serious pollution incidents in 2024 up 60% on the previous year. 

The Commission, chaired by senior civil servant Sir Jon Cunliffe, called for an integrated regulator for water, stronger consumer advocacy and nine new regional water authorities to deliver on local priorities.

Sir Jon said: “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.”

He said he had been “struck by the urgent need and passion for change”. He added: “Doing this will require hard work, strong leadership and sustained commitment. But it can and must be done.” 

CIEH welcomed the inclusion of public health professionals on the new regional water authorities, with the work to include public health in the water legislative framework.

Mark Elliott, CIEH President said: “Everyone should be able to trust the water they drink and bathe in and CIEH members work every day to improve the quality of water. But evidence of raw sewage discharges and other failings in regulation have led to falling public trust in the water sector in England and Wales, and there has been rising disquiet about serious system-wide failings.”

A spokesperson for Water UK said: “Everyone agrees the system has not been working. These recommendations should establish the foundations to secure our water supplies, support economic growth and end sewage entering our rivers and seas.

“It is now up to government to decide which recommendations it will adopt, and in what way, but the Commission’s work marks a significant step forward.”

On plans for new regional water authorities, Rachel Hallos, NFU Vice-President, said: “Ultimately, we need a joined-up approach that includes a comprehensive water management strategy that encourages investment in the country's water infrastructure and allows us to collaborate better with government, local authorities and water companies, and prioritises UK food security as national security.”

“Water companies will still be allowed to prioritise shareholders over the public and while the report tweaks water company licences, profit remains a key goal.”

A more critical view of the Commission’s report came from Surfers Against Sewage (SAS). A spokesperson said: “While we welcome some elements of the report, it still falls massively short of the transformational reform required to fix our broken sector. It utterly fails to prioritise public benefit over private profit. 

The spokesperson also cited a lack of ‘real structural reform’. “Water companies will still be allowed to prioritise shareholders over the public and while the report tweaks water company licences, profit remains a key goal. It also still allows self-monitoring – the same failed system that’s let pollution thrive for decades.”

In the wake of the Commission’s report, the government has confirmed that Ofwat will replaced by a ‘more powerful’ regulator to “cut water pollution in England’s rivers, lakes and seas, and protect families from massive bill hikes”.

The new regulator will take responsibility of water functions across Ofwat, Environment Agency, Natural England and the Drinking Water Inspectorate.