WARRINGTON North MP Charlotte Nichols is backing plans to prevent water pollution, tackle the billions of pounds going to rogue water bosses and keep bills as low as possible.
The Government announced recxently that the Water Services Regulation Authority also known as OFWAT is to be abolished and replaced by one single water regulator responsible for the entire water system.
In the biggest overhaul of the water sector since privatisation, OFWAT will be abolished and its functions will be merged with water functions across the Environment Agency, Natural England and the Drinking Water Inspectorate to form a new single, powerful regulator.
There are currently four separate regulators responsible for the water industry, a complex, tangled system of confusion. It is a merry-go-round of regulators blaming each other for breaking this country’s water system.
The current fragmented approach of four separate regulators splits up economic, environmental, and drinking water regulation. This complex web of regulators has led to contradictory and competing priorities.
The creation of one powerful regulator will be responsible for the entire water sector restoring public faith and investor confidence in our water industry.
In a speech at Kingfisher Wharf, the Secretary of State for the Environment, Steve Reed pledged to strengthen regulation, clean up the country’s s rivers and protect the public from soaring water bills.
Ms Nichols said “OFWAT has failed customers, allowing water companies to mismanage billions of pounds of customer money while water companies paid out huge dividends and bonuses. Value for money for my constituents and the protection of Warrington’s waterways and drinking water are my priority, and I am proud that this Labour Government have taken action to safeguard the public, our rivers and waterways where the previous Government failed to do so for fourteen years”.
The Rt Hon Steve Reed OBE MP said: “Our water industry is broken. That is why this Government will fix our broken regulatory system, so the failures of the past never happen again. The Government will abolish OFWAT In the biggest overhaul of water regulation in a generation, we will bring water functions from four different regulators into one”.
“A single, powerful regulator responsible for the entire water sector will stand firmly on the side of customers, investors and the environment and prevent the abuses of the past. It will provide the clarity and direction required for a strong partnership between Government, the sector, and investors to attract billions of pounds of new investment”.
The Governments reforms will ensure all regulation is in lock step to deliver for customers and the environment, bringing all water regulation under one roof. The proposals will be consulted on this autumn and form the basis of a new Water Reform Bill.
This announcement comes on the back of a bold, personal commitment from Environment Secretary, Steve Reed, to cut sewage pollution from water companies in half by 2030. Working to make our rivers the cleanest since records began, it is the most ambitious sewage target Government has ever set.
