Reforming the water sector

UK water bodies are affected by a number of high-profile threats including agricultural and sewage pollution. The water sector faces other important concerns such as weak resilience of water supply systems and future water security. Water companies providing services have been criticised for their environmental, financial and customer satisfaction performance. As a result of these … Show more

UK water bodies are affected by a number of high-profile threats including agricultural and sewage pollution. The water sector faces other important concerns such as weak resilience of water supply systems and future water security. Water companies providing services have been criticised for their environmental, financial and customer satisfaction performance. As a result of these issues, the Government has made water sector reform a top priority, with an Independent Commission expected to report in mid-2025. This long-term inquiry will allow the Committee to examine these issues and ensure that Government reforms and the work of key regulators lead to genuinely impactful change. The Committee will call for evidence on a regular basis, and produce iterative and focused reports throughout the inquiry. Topics for scrutiny will include, but are not limited to: Financial stability and corporate structures in the water sector; Agricultural pollution; Sewage overflows; Other sources of water pollution such as chemicals, transport and road run off; Water security for consumers and industries such as agriculture; Reducing water demand: both through consumers and wider supply chains; Supporting the water-based leisure industry; Impact of and emergency responses to flooding, drought and outages; Support for vulnerable consumers If you have information or evidence which may be of interest to the Committee, please contact: efracom@parliament.uk Show less