Water Commission chair Sir Jon Cunliffe is now meeting with representatives from the environmental, consumer and industry sectors as a part of his investigation in the water sector.
As a part of the Commission’s work across the water sector, Sir Jon has started meeting with interest groups to discuss the challenges facing the water sector and how to reform it.
The Water Commission has been established by the Secretary of State for the Environment and the as a part of the government’s work to ensure we have a sufficiently robust and stable regulatory framework to attract the investment needed to clean up our waterways, speed up infrastructure delivery and restore public confidence in the sector.
Sir Jon said:
“Water is essential to society and to our natural environment.
“The Commission is now looking at how to reform the system to deliver a thriving sustainable water sector that can meet the demands we place upon it.
“These demands range from the need to ensure long-term supplies to better protecting our environment, while ensuring a healthy sector driving investment across the country.
“At the heart of this challenge is the need to restore trust, trust that the essential supply of safe water and sanitation does not come at t the cost of our natural environment, trust that customers are paying fairly for the services they receive and the investment that needs to be made and trust that the investors who will finance that investment will get a fair return for their investment.
“My work with groups across the water sector shows a recognition on all sides that the current system is not working and that major change is needed.”
Following the Commission’s public engagement, a formal call for evidence will be set out in the New Year, followed by full recommendations set out in the Summer. The UK Government and Welsh Government will then respond with the proposals they intend to take forward.
