Thames Water delivering a temporary water supply from a tanker, August 2022ENVIRONMENTAL charity River Action filed a legal challenge today against the government’s lack of preparation for temporary nationalisation of floundering water companies.
The group argues that Environment Secretary Steve Reed has acted unlawfully by failing to develop or publish policy on when he would put failing firms into special administration.
Campaigners pointed to Thames Water as a clear candidate for special administration, citing repeated breaches of its statutory and licence obligations.
Thames was revealed earlier this month to be the worst polluter of all the water firms in Britain, accounting for 44 per cent of incidents classified as “serious.”
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River Action head of legal Emma Dearnaley said: “The government has the power but won’t use it, or even explain when it might trigger this process.
“Apparently, the government has no policy at all. That’s a fundamental failure of transparency and accountability — and it’s unlawful.”
She added: “We need water companies that serve customers and protect our rivers, not prioritise financial returns to investors.
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