- Post author:dizzy
- Post published:17 November 2025
- Post category:Climate Crisis/Climate Emergency/Climate Science Denial/Cost of Living crisis/crap pretend Labour/Israel/Keir Starmer/Labour Party/politics/Zack Polanski
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Pollution figures ‘the latest indicator of a water sector in total chaos’
https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/pollution-figures-latest-indicator-water-sector-total-chaos
A tanker pumps out excess sewage from the Lightlands Lane sewage pumping station in Cookham, BerskhireCALLS to nationalise the water sector intensified yesterday after it emerged that serious pollution incidents in England jumped by 60 per cent last year.
The Environment Agency reported 75 major incidents that fell under categories one and two, which can severely harm the environment and human health.
Serious incidents doubled from 14 to 33 at crisis-hit Thames Water, the watchdog found.
Southern Water was responsible for 15 of the incidents and Yorkshire Water for 13.
Pollution incidents across all categories had increased by 29 per cent, with 2,801 recorded last year.
Thames Water recorded the most incidents again at 523, followed by Anglian Water (482) and United Utilities (376).
The rise was attributed to underinvestment in new infrastructure, poor asset maintenance and reduced resilience due to the impacts of climate change.
We Own It founder Cat Hobbs said the figures “are the latest indicator of a water sector in total chaos.
“The roots of this chaos extend all the way back to when Thatcher privatised water in the 1980s — effectively flogging the family silver for a quick buck.
“Since then, private shareholders have stuffed their pockets with gold, amassing £80 billion in payouts.
“They’ve killed our rivers and let the infrastructure crumble, while bill-payers pick up the tab.
“Recent research shows that the cost of public ownership could be close to zero. This solution could also save the public £3-5bn a year, making publicly owned water a source of income for the Treasury.”
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Water firms banned from handing bonuses to bosses
https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/water-firms-banned-handing-bonuses-bosses
A tanker from Thames WaterSIX water companies have been banned from paying bonuses to senior bosses under new rules that came into force today.
Thames Water, Yorkshire Water, Anglian Water, Wessex Water, United Utilities and Southern Water were all included in the ban, which covers the 2024-25 financial year.
Environment Secretary Steve Reed warned companies would be “extremely foolish” to try getting around the new ban by increasing salaries.
He warned water companies should avoid moves that would lose the “confidence” of customers and said there was a need to “rebuild their broken relationship.”
“Customers are furious at the fact that they’re seeing local waterways being polluted, but bosses taking multimillion-pound bonuses,” he told Times Radio.
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Continues at https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/water-firms-banned-handing-bonuses-bosses
Campaigners launch legal challenge against Ofwat for making customers pay its failures
CAMPAIGNERS launched a legal challenge against Ofwat today, accusing the water regulator of unlawfully forcing customers to foot the bill for decades of neglect by the industry.
River Action launched the challenge on the same day water bills per year in England and Wales increased by an average of £123.
The challenge centres on Ofwat’s 2024 price review, which granted “enhanced funding” to United Utilities.
Campaigners say that the regulator failed to ensure the extra funds would be spent on new water and sewage projects instead of fixing historic issues.
River Action argues that such decisions mean that customers could be forced to pay twice for failing infrastructure: once through previous water bills and again through upcoming charges.
Alarmingly, campaigners warned that Ofwat relies on using simulation modelling to forecast sewage infrastructure capacity rather than real-world data when making its funding decisions.
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Article continues at https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/campaigners-launch-legal-challenge-against-ofwat-for-making-customers-pay-its-failures
Greens call for water companies to be taken into public hands as Environment secretary visits polluted Windemere
Green Party Co-Leader Adrian Ramsay MP has poured cold water on today’s visit by Environment Secretary Steve Reed to Lake Windemere and the announcement that United Utilities will invest £200m into upgrading 10 wastewater treatment works at Windermere. He said:
“The government is today trumpeting its “Things Can Only Get Cleaner” tour. But the reality is that can only happen if we take back control of our water.
“United Utilities offers a prime example of the failed privatisation experiment with our water.
“The company then took legal action to try to block public access to data on treated sewage it is discharging into Windermere. That failed.
“So the company has now belatedly agreed to invest £200m in cleaning up Lake Windemere. But it’s been dragged kicking and screaming to act.
“United Utilities has spent years focussed on paying out dividends to shareholders and fat cat salaries rather than treating sewage.
“The Group’s CEO has amassed around £1.41m a year in salary and bonuses and the company will pay its investors – which include some of the world’s biggest asset managers – £339m in dividends this year, up from £310m for 2023. This hike follows reported higher operating profits thanks to a rise in customer bills. All this puts the £200m investment into Windemere into sharp focus.
“It’s time to bring United Utilities and all water companies back into public hands so that our bills can be used to improve the service rather than being siphoned off into the pockets of shareholders.”