Water investment bosses meet ministers amid hunt for fresh funding September 10, 2024 Ministers have held talks with bosses of water industry investment firms in a bid to attract fresh capital to the scandal-hit sector. Environment secretary Steve Reed held a roundtable with roughly 30 people representing investors in the sector such as pension funds on Tuesday in the City of London. Reed said he wants the water [...]
Water firms in England and Wales lost more than 1 trillion litres in leaks last year September 8, 2024 Water firms leaked over one trillion litres of water last year, new analysis from the Observer has revealed.
Thames Water creditors in funding drive to dodge special administration September 6, 2024 A group of Thames Water’s creditors are devising backup plans for a renewed injection of cash in a bid to prevent the firm from being effectively renationalised. The UK’s biggest water company is struggling under an £18.7bn debt crisis, and is in talks with lenders to provide it with fresh funding. The floundering utility firm [...]
Water: Tougher regulation will attract ‘global investment’, Steve Reed claims September 5, 2024 Steve Reed has claimed that toughening up water regulation will “attract global investment” to rebuild the UK’s sewage and pipeline infrastructure. The environment secretary today insisted his efforts to reform the under-fire industry—including the threat of prison time for rogue water bosses—would create “growth and opportunity.” It comes after Reed unveiled the Water (Special Measures) [...]
Water bosses risk prison time as government launches crackdown September 4, 2024 Bosses of water companies who obstruct watchdog investigations could face up to two years behind bars, as the government unveils tough new laws to ramp up enforcement. The Water (Special Measures) Bill was introduced in Parliament on Wednesday and will grant sweeping new powers to the Environment Agency (EA), the Drinking Water Inspectorate and Ofwat [...]
Government approval paves way for new Thames Water ‘mega-reservoir’ in South Oxford September 4, 2024 The government has endorsed Thames Water’s plans to manage water supply for the next 50 years, paving the way for a controversial new £1.5bn ‘mega-reservoir’ in South Oxford. Steve Reed, the environment minister, has approved the embattled water firm’s proposal—called its Water Resource Management Plans—in which the firm maps out its strategy to secure the [...]
Water firms’ industry body: Dividend payouts haven’t affected infrastructure investment September 1, 2024 Water companies would be in a similar state today even if they hadn't paid out millions in dividends, the boss of their industry body claimed.
Water firms warn of ‘material risk’ to stopping sewage leaks with Ofwat bill cap August 28, 2024 Plans to cap water bill increases at £19 per year would prevent suppliers from raising enough cash to improve performance, Water UK said.
Thames Water: Ofwat proposals ‘not tenable’ with supplier’s recovery as new bill hikes planned August 28, 2024 Debt-laden Thames Water has appealed to Ofwat to sign off on a five-year business plan to make it "investible."
Thames Water: Ofwat hunt for independent ‘monitor’ already under way August 23, 2024 Ofwat’s search for an independent ‘monitor’ who will report on Thames Water’s progress and have access to company information is already under way, City A.M understands. The new appointment is part of a string of new measures that Thames has signed up to in order to avoid a hefty fine for breaching its licence conditions, [...]