Water industry review unlikely to spark required change, claims Feargal Sharkey

Independent

5 days ago

Water campaigner Feargal Sharkey says he believes a landmark review into the water industry will not produce changes the public and customers desperately need.
The Independent Water Commission, led by former Bank of England deputy governor Sir Jon Cunliffe, will outline recommendations to turn around the floundering sector in its final report on Monday, with claims it will lead to the abolition of embattled water regulator Ofwat.
But former Undertones frontman Sharkey, who has become a leading campaigner for water companies to clean up their act, said he fears the highly anticipated report will be a 'flat pancake'.
He told the PA news agency: 'We were promised that the report will bring us champagne – but it will just be a saucer of milk.'
Sharkey, who has given evidence to MPs on the need for reform and has spoken at numerous public and trade union meetings, said he does not believe 'much will happen' as a result of the report's findings.
'Sir Jon's job is to make the current system better, but so many things have not been considered in his review, such as the ownership of the water companies.
'I also don't think you can talk about abolishing Ofwat without considering the future of the Environment Agency – and taking a long, hard look at the Environment Department (Defra), as well as the lack of action from government ministers for many years. They are just as culpable.'
Sharkey said governments have had the power to punish water companies over sewage pollution, or the 'scandal' of paying huge bonuses to bosses, but had chosen not to use them for years.
He believes the public and customers have been treated with 'contempt' by water companies for years despite outrage over sewage pollution of rivers and waterways.
He added the fact that the review had been held was a victory for the many small community groups across the country set up to tackle the crisis.
The review was commissioned by the UK and Welsh governments as part of their response to systemic industry failures, which include rising bills, record sewage spills and debt-ridden company finances, although ministers have ruled out nationalising companies.
A Government spokesperson pointed out that unfair bonuses have been banned for senior executives at six water companies under new measures which came into force last month.
The Government said at the time that transformative change across the water sector was needed to clean up rivers, lakes and seas, and modernise the sector for decades to come.
Under the rules, companies are not permitted to pay bonuses to water bosses that oversee poor environmental and customer outcomes.