Press Release:

1. There is no question the whole water system needs an overhaul. Monopoly privitisation with weak regulation has let rip a pollution for profit model, which no amount of Water (Special Measures) Bill tinkering will fix. The public is already paying off eye-watering company debt and dividends is costing us here in Yorkshire 23% of our bills, with no environmental or service improvement.
2. We welcome the Commission as long as it includes scrutiny of all the models of ownership so that we go from the poorest performing water system in Europe to amongst the best. The aim must be to radically improve the water quality of our rivers, lakes and seas whilst securing best value for the bill payer.
Currently we have one of the highest customer bills in Europe but also lag behind in water quality (Prof Ewan McGaughey 2024). At the same time every water company is under criminal investigation by Ofwat and the EA for illegal activity.
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3. Our rivers, lakes and seas can’t wait. The Commission will take time. Meanwhile the government is sitting on existing legislation, which if enacted will stop pollution of our waterways outside of exceptional circumstances. The government needs to rigorously enforce the law now. Without this it is subjecting our waters to years more pollution, whilst the customer continues to pay water companies debt without getting the investment our rivers, lakes and seas need. Here in Yorkshire shareholders have invested less than zero since privatisation in 1990, whilst extracting nearly £10 billion (David Hall 2024). This has to stop now.
4. Against this backdrop of failure of the current system the Water (Special Measures) Bill makes provision for public bailout of failing companies by requiring water companies to raise money for debt from customers, a complete betrayal of the duty to protect customers of monopoly companies providing something that no-one can give up – water. This means yet again the public is paying for profiteering.  We have provided an amendment that  ‘instructs the Secretary of State and HM Treasury to not bail-out the shareholders or creditors of any water company’.
“Campaign groups from across the country are outraged that the public and bill payers continue to pay for water company failure with no prospect of a clean up in time to save our rivers, lakes and seas from the devastating effects of sewage pollution.” Prof Becky Malby, Ilkley Clean River Group
Notes
  1. You can find a briefing on our broken sewage system provided to all MPs here
  2. Ilkley Clean River Group has been campaigning for 5 years to stop the sewage pollution of the River Wharfe
  3. The Sewage Campaign Network with the assistance of Prof Ewan McGaughey, Professor of Law at Kings College University, London, have provided a set of amendments to protect the public from further exploitation from the broken water industry.
  4. Ilkley Clean River Group is a founding member of The Sewage Campaign Network:Henley Mermaids, Ilkley Clean River Group, Save Windermere, SOS Whitstable, and Windrush Against Sewage Pollution are a network of leading grassroots campaigners steeped in our local communities, trying to save our rivers, lakes and seas from sewage pollution; and the founders of the current massive public storm. Our coalition consists of the forerunners in the campaign to stop sewage pollution, passionate community members committed to safeguarding rivers, lakes, and coastlines from pollution.  We have not been captured, we don’t take money from government, regulators or the water companies; we are truly independent. We take pride in our integrity. We have found that in order to save our local waters, we have had to step up and challenge the whole water system, campaigning to get the law enforced. We are also mobilising hundreds of community campaign groups like ours, providing briefings, educational sessions, supporting the practicalities of water testing, campaigning and lobbying. Each group within the network operates independently, but we speak as one, channeling the public’s outrage at pollution for profit.
  5. Ilkley Clean River Group secured the first river to be awarded Bathing Status. The river is persistently rated poor water quality and the Status is up for renewal in 2025. If it remains poor the river will be ‘de-designated’ by Defra
  6. The campaign has secured some investment from Yorkshire Water with a new Sewer in Ilkley, and there is a plan to clean up the river currently going through the Ofwat PR24 process.
Contact
Karen Shackleton 07312112061
Prof Becky Malby 07974777309