In October 2024, the UK government and Welsh Government announced an independent commission into the water sector and its regulation, chaired by Sir Jon Cunliffe.
The Independent Water Commission has published a call for evidence, opening 27 February 2025, which will set out the current issues in the sector and areas for potential change that the commission wishes to explore. This call for evidence will inform the recommendations the commission makes to the UK and Welsh governments in June 2025.
As set out in the commission’s terms of reference, the commission is tasked to make recommendations to ensure that the water sector works for customers and the environment. This includes by ensuring that:
- there is a strategic spatial planning approach to the management of water across sectors
- the water industry has clear objectives
- the water sector regulatory framework delivers long-term stability and enables the privatised water industry to attract investment, maintain resilient finances and contribute to economic growth
Commenting on the launch of the Water Commission’s call for evidence, the Chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, Alistair Carmichael MP, said:
“Our select committee is making it a priority to investigate the deep-rooted problems underlying the industry, through our ongoing ‘reforming the water sector’ inquiry. So far, we have questioned the CEOs of five different water companies about their companies’ performance and provision of services to the public and will be continuing our scrutiny of individual companies in March.
“There is huge public concern about the performance of water companies amidst repeated incidents of water outages, sewage pollution and outbreaks of contamination in domestic water supplies.
“I encourage the public to engage with the Water Commission’s call for evidence and to use this opportunity to make their voices heard on the issues involved in cleaning up the unsatisfactory state of the country’s water services.”
