UK minister Angela Eagle sets priorities for water-price review
Her letter calls for affordable bills, leak prevention and cost-saving technology as companies prepare for the review expected to conclude in 2029.
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Her letter calls for affordable bills, leak prevention and cost-saving technology as companies prepare for the review expected to conclude in 2029.
UK environment secretary Angela Eagle has written to water companies and regulators in England and Wales, directing them to put affordability and better value for customers at the centre of the next water-price review, the Guardian reported on 23 October. The letter does not demand bill cuts.
The intervention follows the 2024 review, when water regulator Ofwat authorised a £104bn modernisation programme. Funded largely through annual bill increases, that programme is set to raise average water bills by 36% over the second half of the decade.
Ofwat runs the five-year review process. It examines companies’ business plans and determines how much they can charge customers to fund investment and running costs. The Guardian described Eagle’s planned intervention in that process as unprecedented.
Eagle’s letter calls for investment in technology that saves money and early action to prevent leaks and sewage spills. It also seeks better communication with local communities and leaders, and greater decision-making power for them.
Sources close to Eagle said action was needed before the formal review because companies were already beginning to make investment decisions. The letter therefore seeks to shape what companies spend money on before Ofwat settles how much customers can be charged.
Separately, the UK government continues to explore ownership options for Thames Water. Andy Burnham previously said he would nationalise the company, bringing it into public ownership. The Guardian reported that he was struggling to find a route that avoided billions of pounds in spending, lengthy court proceedings, or both. Thames Water, which is running out of cash, recently asked its creditors for another £2.4bn.
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Public-ownership campaigners warned that Eagle’s intervention would do little to reduce bills or the environmental effects of sewage and leaks. Sophie Conquest, lead campaigner at We Own It, argued that the government should stop bill increases and allow companies that cannot function without further charges to fail, before bringing them into public ownership.
Stronger government powers remain prospective. Officials at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs told the Guardian that Burnham’s planned 10-year programme would give ministers greater powers to keep bills affordable and direct local investment. The 23 October report said the plan would follow the following week’s budget; the next price review is expected to conclude in 2029.
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